WHAT’S HAPPENING

Liz Reid from Google revealed new insights into how people are using AI-powered search — and the takeaway for SEO professionals is becoming increasingly important:

Not every search user wants the same experience anymore.

During a May 4, 2026 discussion, Reid explained that users are starting to split into different behaviors depending on what they are searching for.

For complex questions, many users now prefer AI-powered search experiences that summarize answers quickly.

But for more exploratory searches — what Google internally calls “browsy queries” — users still prefer traditional search results where they can compare options, discover ideas, and explore links themselves.

These “browsy queries” are not focused on one direct answer. Instead, users are looking for:

• inspiration
• comparisons
• recommendations
• options
• deeper exploration

Examples include:

• best AI tools for small business
• affordable electric SUVs
• best podcast microphones
• places to travel in Europe

In these situations, users often want multiple viewpoints instead of one AI-generated response.

Reid also explained that Google now sees its ecosystem as several connected platforms:

• traditional Search
• AI Mode within Search
• the Gemini app

And users move between them depending on intent.

WHY IT MATTERS

This signals a major shift in how search engines may evolve during the AI era.

For years, SEO revolved around ranking pages for keywords and delivering direct answers.

Now search behavior itself is fragmenting.

Some searches are becoming:

• AI summarized
• conversational
• answer-driven

While others remain:

• discovery-driven
• comparison-focused
• exploration-based

That means future SEO strategies may depend less on simply “ranking” and more on understanding what type of experience users actually want.

Businesses optimizing only for AI summaries could miss users who still want exploration.

At the same time, websites relying entirely on traditional keyword SEO may struggle as AI increasingly absorbs simple answer-based searches.

WHO BENEFITS

• Google
  Google benefits by keeping users inside multiple search environments instead of losing them to standalone AI apps.
• Publishers creating comparison and discovery content
  Websites helping users explore options may remain valuable in AI search ecosystems.
• SEO professionals adapting early
  Understanding “browsy queries” could become a major competitive advantage.
• Brands with strong educational content
  Businesses offering layered information journeys may outperform simple answer pages.

WHO LOSES

• Thin affiliate websites
  Low-value content becomes easier for AI systems to summarize instantly.
• Legacy SEO strategies
  The old “one keyword, one page” model may weaken significantly.
• Websites relying only on direct-answer content
  AI search increasingly absorbs simple informational queries.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Search is likely splitting into two parallel ecosystems:

• AI answer engines
  and
• exploration engines

The winners may be the companies capable of serving both.

Future content strategies will likely need:

• AI-readable summaries
• conversational content
• comparison-driven pages
• exploration-friendly experiences
• stronger internal content ecosystems

Because in the AI era, not every search is asking for an answer.

Some searches are asking for discovery.