AI isn’t replacing search – it’s augmenting it

AI is reshaping how billions of people find information, but it isn’t killing the blue link. That’s according to Liz Reid, Google’s head of Search, in a new The Economic Times podcast interview.

Why we care. We’re in a massive transitional period. If you believe Google, AI isn’t shrinking the pie – it’s expanding opportunities for brands, businesses, and creators. Perhaps AI Overviews are killing shallow traffic, but the big question remains whether Google can find ways to reward rich, engaging content.

The future of search. AI is a layer, not a replacement. Some quotes from Reid:

• “I think we’re still really at the beginning. I think there’s still [a] huge way to think about how we use AI to reinvent search.”
• “We don’t view AI as replacing search … We view it as augmenting, as enabling us to reinvent search.”
• “The goal [is] making it possible that you can ask truly anything on search and that you can do so effortlessly.”

Dig deeper. Google’s Liz Reid: It isn’t AI or search; it’s AI in search

Blue links + human voices. Google wants to give users AI answers, as well as direct access to creators, experts, and communities.

• “I do think the story of the blue link is far from over.”
• “Many many people want to hear from other people … people want to connect with humans and that human spirit.”
• “Web content, short-form video, user-created content will continue to flourish.”
• “We’re also experimenting with inline links within AI Overviews and AI Mode … linking directly to that creator so you can hear more.”

SEO in an AI-first world. Thin content is dead. Quality, perspective, and depth win, according to Reid:

• “People should really produce content that users care about and not think about building content for search engines.”
• “If you produce content that’s very shallow … then your content really doesn’t have much more than like an AI Overview would give.”
• “What you do see is a lot of excitement on the deep clicks.”
• “Be optimizing for a great experience … people are going to want to go there not to just get that 5-second thing, but to actually go deeper.”

Changing search behavior. AI lowers friction – people ask more via longer and more complex queries. Reid said:

• “They’re longer because people are giving more context … they’re putting multiple constraints.”
• “We see people just asking more questions, not just harder questions.”
• “If I can just ask a quick follow-up, then I’ll go ask it.”
• “So far with India and the U.S., we’re already seeing over 100 million active users per month.”

The interview. Corner Office Conversation with Elizabeth Reid, Head of Search, Google