FT & Yahoo Predict Sun Will Rise Tomorrow

Yes, they claim Google is considering charging for AI-powered search. (Duh.)

Here’s a live screen grab I took this morning. Google search returns results citing others that suggest Google is evaluating or planning to charge for AI-powered search (but retains free search powered often by garbage ad revenue streams.)

This isn’t news. It doesn’t even qualify as good fish-wrap.

Last year, I chased after Bloomberg for reporting that “Amazon Plans to Add ChatGPT-Style Search to Its Online Store” and saying this move “rivals Microsoft, Google efforts to infuse search with AI.”

In that note, I pointed out:

I for one have been severely disappointed in recent years with the kind of results that I get from Amazon Search, Google Search, and others primarily because their goal is making money on advertisements, to heck with what I need. And it shows up systematically.

Just as an example, it’s getting harder and harder to find what you want on Amazon. Even when you’re really specific with your needs, they still fill the screen with crap that’s getting harder and harder to discriminate from the good stuff. There must be a pony in the corral but I can’t see it.

In that same note, I had a much deeper analysis of the sorry state of Google Ads value for users.

Last year {in 2022}, under the title “The Google Ads predictive analytics’ business impact story”web.archive.org/web/20221204110546/http…

I did an extensive analysis of Google Search’s utility for enterprise technology decision-makers and found a similar situation.

In my summary, I wrote ‘What do you get from Google Ads? I asked Google can or do “predictive analytics improve business performance” and gathered up the ads it returned. From a buyer’s perspective, these results aren’t good. Sellers could do much better as well.’

I’m certainly not alone in predicting the end of search as we know it. I’ve been harping on data describing the dramatically disruptive effects of change that AI is going to bring for all of us, including all firms dependent on advertising-based business models.

It must be a slow business-news day for everyone trying to break new stories about the renewed rumors that Google, Amazon and others are considering or experimenting with using AI-based search as a new, fee-based service for users.