Search is Dead. Long Live Discovery.

The way we find information online is undergoing a dramatic shift - and most people haven’t even noticed it yet.

Let me show you an example.

Someone, somewhere - let's say St Albans - searches for

“black t-shirt”

Simple, right?

But what happens behind the scenes is anything but simple.

Google knows this person recently used their GPay account to buy some adidas astro trainers, size 8 for £39.99.
Google also knows that they navigated to the local sports dome on 2 recent Thursday evenings using Google Maps, staying for about an hour and a half.
They had been searching - clearly unsuccessfully - for black and white t-shirts at the weekend. They'd also been watching some muscle stretching videos on YouTube as well as goal highlights reels.
They’ve also dropped into JD Sports twice this month. Their Instagram (linked through Gmail) has likes on Nike and Gymshark reels. A few weeks ago, they searched for “slim fit joggers” and “best lightweight trainers.”

So what does the search for 'black t-shirt' now show?

It shows a performance tee—slim-fit, moisture-wicking, maybe tagged “perfect for training or casual wear.” Think Nike, Under Armour, fitted sleeves, and product reviews talking about breathability.

The user never said they wanted something sporty.

But the AI figured it out. Because this isn’t just a search anymore—it’s a pattern. A lifestyle. A person.

So who is this?

It’s a 34-year-old guy, playing Thursday night 5-a-side football, hitting the gym a few times a month, and wanting something that looks decent on the pitch.

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Now let's pop over to Doncaster, where someone else searches for:

“black t-shirt”

Same query. Totally different context.

This time, the user has been Googling school uniforms and stain remover.
Their YouTube history is full of family meal prep, back-to-school hauls, and things to do over the summer holiday.
They recently bought cinema tickets for Elio, kids' shoes, and a bottle of Calpol on Google Shopping.
Google Maps shows frequent visits to supermarkets and soft play centres.
The reviews they’ve left mention things like “comfortable,” “true to size,” and “washes well.” Most of their shopping is done late at night, from a mobile.

So what does Google show this person?

A relaxed-fit cotton tee, maybe in a multipack. Something easy to wash, soft on the skin, not too clingy.
The kind of listing where the top review says, “Great for everyday wear. Hides stains. Doesn’t shrink in the wash.”

Same words: black t-shirt.
But the AI doesn’t just hear the search. It hears the life behind the search.

She’s a 38-year-old mum with two kids, juggling life at full speed, shopping in her only quiet hour of the day—and just wants a top she can throw on and not think about.

That’s not search. That’s discovery.

Google AI isn’t matching keywords anymore. It’s matching people.

Behaviour. Context. Emotion.

It's taking all those touchpoints its seen before, and personalising the search results like never before. The onus is no longer on the user clicking your blue SERPs link and reading your site to find what they want. Google and AI can work harder and better for you.

This - senior Google leaders believe - is how Google is going to survive in the face of the ChatGPT onslaught. And its very reaction to the inevitable, is making the inevitable become reality.

And if your brand isn’t ready for that shift, you're not just missing rankings. You’re missing customers.

Want to understand how to position your brand for this shift? Or how to make sure your content actually shows up in discovery-led journeys? Let’s talk.