By Hugh Langley
Publication Date: 2025-11-13 14:00:00
The online search funnel is shrinking, and for Google, it’s adapt or die.
Generative AI means people are making longer, more specific queries when they search online. That’s taking them to their answer faster, and, when it comes to online shopping, it means they’re clicking “buy” faster, too.
For Google, that’s potentially a problem (fewer clicks). It’s also a massive opportunity.
This week, it shared some of the ways it’s adapting as generative AI upends traditional search. The first is shopping, which is a significant part of search advertising — Google’s core moneymaking business.
Google is revamping how shopping works in AI Mode, its generative AI-driven version of search. Users can now make more specific product queries, which Google says will help them reach their buying destination faster. What was once a search for “burgundy shirt” may now be “burgundy shirt in size 12 with a single front pocket that costs less than $50.” Users will also be able…
