How Will AI Change Search in 2027?

Search is changing, and fast. What was once a process of typing a few keywords into Google and scrolling through a list of websites is becoming something far more sophisticated. AI Search is transforming how we find information, discover brands and make decisions online.

In this guide, we’ll explore 10 key trends that could shape the future of Search. We’ll also look at what these developments mean for SEO, digital marketing and the businesses looking to stay visible in an increasingly AI-driven world.

AI Search in 2027: 10 Key Trends at a Glance

As AI continues to reshape how people find information, discover brands and make purchasing decisions, businesses will need to adapt their approach to Search Marketing.

Here’s a summary of the 10 AI Search trends we expect to shape 2027 and what they could mean for businesses.

While these trends highlight how Search Marketing could evolve in 2027, they all point towards a common theme: businesses need to be discoverable, relevant and trustworthy wherever their customers choose to search.

Below, we explore each of these 10 AI Search trends in more detail, looking at the developments driving them and what they could mean for businesses in 2027 and beyond.

1. AI-Generated Answers Will Become a Bigger Part of Everyday Search

AI-generated answers are already changing how people use search engines, but by 2027, we predict they’ll become an even more natural part of the everyday search experience.

Rather than simply presenting a list of websites, search engines are increasingly answering questions directly, allowing users to explore topics, ask follow-up questions and find relevant information without repeatedly starting new searches.

Google Is Already Bringing AI Into Everyday Search

Google has been at the forefront of this transition through AI Overviews and AI Mode.

In January 2026, Google announced improvements that allow users to move directly from an AI Overview into a conversational exchange with AI Mode, while retaining the context of their original question.

The scale of adoption is also significant. According to Google’s June 2026 announcement, updated in August, AI Overviews had surpassed 2.5 billion monthly active users, while AI Mode had exceeded one billion.

These developments highlight how AI-powered answers are becoming an established part of the search experience, rather than a separate tool people need to actively seek out.

What Will This Mean for Organic Search Traffic?

As more information becomes available directly within AI-generated answers, the relationship between search visibility and website traffic could continue to change.

Research published by Search Engine Journal in May 2026 analysed approximately 846,000 Google search sessions and found that users spent longer engaging with search results pages when AI Overviews were present.

While this doesn’t necessarily mean every website will lose traffic, it suggests that the journey from search query to website visit is becoming more complex.

A business might appear within an AI-generated answer, influence a potential customer’s decision and build brand awareness without immediately receiving a website visit.

Equally, users who do click through may arrive with a clearer understanding of what they’re looking for.

2. Conversational and Multi-Step Searches Will Move Beyond Simple Keywords

For years, searching online has largely revolved around keywords. Whether it’s “best running shoes” or “SEO agency Leeds”, we’ve become accustomed to reducing our questions to a handful of search terms.

But AI Search is changing that behaviour.

Instead of relying on short, keyword-focused queries, people can now ask detailed questions, provide context and refine their searches through natural conversation.

Our prediction for 2027 is that conversational, multi-step searching will become increasingly common, particularly when people are researching products, comparing services or making complex decisions.

AI Search Is Getting Better at Handling Complex Research

The way AI-powered platforms process these questions is evolving, too.

Google’s query fan-out technology allows AI Mode to break a complex question into several related searches, gathering information across different subtopics before bringing the results together.

Meanwhile, Anthropic’s Research functionality enables Claude to conduct multiple searches that build on one another, investigating different aspects of a question before producing a response with supporting citations.

This means users don’t necessarily have to know exactly what to search for. They can describe a problem or objective and allow the AI to investigate relevant considerations.

And as these capabilities improve, we expect AI Search to become a more established tool for in-depth research and decision-making throughout 2027.

3. Agentic AI Search Will Move From Answers to Actions

Until recently, the primary purpose of AI Search was to help people find and understand information. But that’s beginning to change.

We’re entering the era of agentic AI Search, where artificial intelligence can go beyond answering questions to researching options, monitoring information and carrying out tasks on a user’s behalf. Rather than simply recommending a restaurant, for example, an AI agent could check availability, compare suitable options and help arrange a reservation.

Google Is Already Introducing AI Agents Into Search

In May 2026, Google announced new agentic capabilities designed to help users complete tasks directly through Search. These included information agents that can monitor the web for changes and provide updates, alongside expanded booking capabilities for local services and experiences.

For example, users could ask Google to find a restaurant matching particular requirements, check availability across booking platforms and present suitable options. Google has also introduced hotel booking capabilities within AI Mode, allowing eligible users in the US to move from researching accommodation to completing a reservation within the same experience.

Meanwhile, OpenAI’s introduction of ChatGPT Work in July 2026 demonstrates a similar shift towards AI systems capable of researching information, navigating digital workflows and completing multi-step tasks.

How Will Agentic Search Change the Customer Journey?

For businesses, agentic AI could fundamentally change how potential customers discover and interact with brands. Traditionally, a customer might search for a product, visit several websites, compare their options and eventually make an enquiry or purchase.

With agentic search, some of those steps could happen automatically. An AI agent might compare several businesses based on their pricing, services, availability and customer reviews before presenting a shortlist to the user.

This introduces an important consideration for digital marketing: your next potential customer might discover your business through an AI agent rather than visiting your website directly.

As Search Engine Journal highlighted in April 2026, Google’s developments are already pushing search beyond traditional results towards task completion.

4. Multimodal Search Will Make Images, Video and Voice More Important

For decades, searching online has largely meant typing words into a search bar. But with advances in artificial intelligence, that’s no longer the only way people can find information.

Multimodal AI Search allows users to search using different types of inputs, including text, images, video and voice. Rather than describing something in words, users can show an AI system what they’re looking at, ask questions about it and receive relevant information.

Our prediction for 2027 is that multimodal search will become an increasingly familiar part of everyday search behaviour, creating new opportunities for businesses to be discovered through visual and spoken content.

Google Is Already Moving Beyond Text-Based Searches

In March 2026, Google announced the global expansion of Search Live, allowing people in more than 200 countries and territories to have real-time conversations with Search using their voice and smartphone camera.

For example, someone assembling furniture could point their camera at a component, ask how it should fit together and receive spoken guidance alongside relevant web links. Google has also introduced an intelligent Search box that supports questions involving text, images, files, videos and browser tabs.

These developments are making search less dependent on what someone can describe in words and more capable of understanding what they’re seeing or experiencing.

5. AI Search Will Become More Personalised and Context-Aware

Imagine two people asking an AI search engine exactly the same question but receiving entirely different recommendations. That’s increasingly becoming a reality.

While traditional search engines already personalise results based on available data, AI Search is taking personalisation further by using conversational context, preferences and information users choose to share.

Our prediction for 2027 is that AI Search will become increasingly personalised, delivering answers and recommendations that reflect an individual’s needs rather than relying solely on the words in their search query.

Google Is Already Bringing Personal Intelligence Into Search

In January 2026, Google introduced Personal Intelligence to AI Mode, allowing eligible users to connect services such as Gmail and Google Photos to provide additional context for their searches.. In July 2026, Search Engine Journal reported that Google Calendar was being integrated into Personal Intelligence in AI Mode, allowing search responses to consider a user’s existing schedule.

These developments highlight how AI Search is moving towards understanding not only what someone is asking, but also the circumstances surrounding their question.

ChatGPT and Claude Are Developing Similar Capabilities

Google isn’t the only company investing in more context-aware AI experiences.

In June 2026, OpenAI announced improvements to ChatGPT’s memory capabilities, designed to help the platform retain more relevant information about users’ preferences, projects and previous conversations.

When enabled, these capabilities allow ChatGPT to provide more personalised responses without requiring users to repeat the same information every time they start a new conversation.

Anthropic has also introduced integrations that allow Claude to access relevant information from connected services, including Google Workspace, to support research and more contextual responses.

Although these features differ between platforms, they demonstrate a broader shift towards AI systems that can build on information users have previously shared.

6. AI Shopping Will Transform Product Discovery and Purchasing

AI Search isn’t just changing how consumers find information. It’s beginning to change how they shop.

Rather than browsing multiple retailers, comparing product specifications and reading countless reviews, shoppers can now use AI-powered platforms to research products, compare options and narrow down their purchasing decisions through conversation.

And increasingly, those experiences are becoming connected to the retailers themselves.

ChatGPT Is Already Changing How Consumers Discover Products

In March 2026, OpenAI announced major improvements to product discovery within ChatGPT. These updates introduced richer shopping experiences, allowing users to browse products visually, compare options side by side and receive recommendations based on their requirements.

For example, someone looking for a new laptop could ask ChatGPT to recommend models suitable for graphic design, within a particular budget and with specific performance requirements. Rather than manually comparing dozens of websites, they could explore suitable options, review specifications and refine their preferences through conversation.

OpenAI has also expanded its Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), enabling retailers to supply more accurate and up-to-date product information directly to ChatGPT.

This means AI-powered shopping isn’t simply about interpreting information from websites. It’s increasingly about connecting AI systems with retailers’ product catalogues.

Shopify’s Shop App Is Bringing Ecommerce Into AI Conversations

One of the most interesting developments is Shopify’s integration with AI shopping platforms. In March 2026, Shopify announced that millions of merchants could begin selling through AI conversations, including through ChatGPT.

Through Shopify’s Agentic Storefronts, eligible merchants can make their products discoverable across AI-powered shopping platforms without building individual integrations for each one. Shopify has also extended its consumer-facing Shop experience into AI platforms through the Shop App for ChatGPT.

According to Shopify’s official documentation, customers can discover products through the Shop App for ChatGPT, while supported AI shopping experiences can also help users reorder products, track orders and check retailer return policies.

When customers are ready to buy, purchases can be completed through supported checkout experiences, including the retailer’s own online store.

Importantly, geographical availability still varies.

As of October 2026, Shopify’s conversational search functionality within the Shop app is available to shoppers in the United States and Canada. Meanwhile, its dedicated ChatGPT sales channel currently requires merchants to sell to US customers, although those merchants can be based elsewhere.

For UK retailers selling exclusively to UK customers, this means some of these AI shopping opportunities are not yet available in the same way. However, their development offers an early indication of where ecommerce could be heading.

7. Advertising Will Evolve Alongside Conversational Search

AI Search isn’t just changing how people find information. It’s also creating new opportunities for businesses to advertise.

For years, paid search has centred around targeting keywords and placing adverts alongside relevant search results. But as people increasingly use AI to ask detailed questions, compare products and explore their options, advertising is beginning to adapt.

Rather than simply showing an advert related to a particular keyword, AI-powered platforms can consider the wider context of a conversation to identify relevant products and services.

Google Is Already Experimenting With Ads in AI Search

Google has been expanding advertising opportunities within its AI-powered search experiences.

In May 2026, Google announced two new advertising formats for AI Mode: Conversational Discovery ads and Highlighted Answers.

Conversational Discovery ads are designed to respond to detailed questions, with Google’s Gemini models helping generate relevant advertising content based on the context of a search.

Meanwhile, Highlighted Answers allow eligible advertisers to appear within AI-generated recommendation lists, with sponsored placements clearly identified.

Google has also been testing Direct Offers, allowing retailers to present relevant promotions to users researching products through AI Mode.

These developments suggest advertising could become more closely connected to the questions people ask, rather than relying exclusively on traditional keyword targeting.

However, these newer formats remain subject to testing and availability restrictions, rather than being universally accessible to advertisers.

ChatGPT Advertising Is Creating Another Paid Search Channel

OpenAI has also made significant progress in developing advertising within ChatGPT.

After beginning advertising tests in the United States in February 2026, OpenAI expanded ChatGPT Ads to the UK in August.

By October 2026, OpenAI announced that more than 100,000 advertisers had used the platform, with ChatGPT Ads available across 89 countries.

Unlike traditional search advertising, which often focuses on individual queries, ChatGPT’s advertising system can consider the context and intent of an ongoing conversation when selecting relevant adverts.

OpenAI has also introduced new advertising capabilities, including Sponsored Agents.

Announced in September 2026, Sponsored Agents allow users to start a separate, clearly labelled conversation with a business-sponsored AI agent after clicking an advert.

This could allow potential customers to ask detailed questions about a product or service before deciding whether to visit a website or make a purchase.

Importantly, OpenAI states that advertisements remain separate from ChatGPT’s responses and do not influence the answers it generates. Ads are also limited to eligible users on its Free and Go plans.

8. AI Search Visibility Will Expand Beyond Google

For decades, Google has dominated how businesses approach search engine optimisation. Ranking highly in Google’s organic results has been one of the primary ways to attract potential customers, generate website traffic and build brand visibility.

But AI Search is introducing new ways for people to discover information, products and services. Platforms such as ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity are giving users alternative ways to research topics, compare businesses and find recommendations without necessarily starting their journey on Google.

Will Businesses Need Different SEO Strategies for Each AI Platform?

Although AI Search platforms operate differently, that doesn’t mean businesses need an entirely separate content strategy for every system. Many established SEO principles remain valuable, including creating helpful content, demonstrating expertise and ensuring websites are technically accessible. However, businesses should understand how different platforms access information.

For example, OpenAI uses OAI-SearchBot to support website discovery within ChatGPT Search, while Anthropic operates Claude-SearchBot to support the quality and relevance of Claude’s web search results. These crawlers operate separately from Google’s search crawling systems, meaning website owners should understand how their robots.txt rules affect access.

9. Search Success Will Be Measured Beyond Rankings and Website Traffic

For years, search marketing success has largely been measured through familiar metrics: keyword rankings, website traffic, click-through rates and conversions.

While these metrics remain important, they don’t always tell the full story of how people discover and interact with brands online. As AI-powered platforms, social media and other discovery channels become increasingly important, businesses need to rethink what successful search visibility actually looks like.

Search Is No Longer Confined to Search Engines

The way people look for information has become increasingly fragmented.

Someone researching a new product might start with Google, watch reviews on YouTube, explore recommendations on Reddit and ask ChatGPT to compare their options before making a purchase. Similarly, younger consumers might use TikTok or Instagram to discover restaurants, destinations and products rather than beginning with a traditional search engine.

From Search Engine Marketing to Search Marketing

Traditionally, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) has focused on reaching customers through search engines, particularly through paid advertising, while SEO focuses on improving organic visibility.

But as people increasingly search across AI assistants, social platforms, marketplaces and community websites, this search-engine-centric approach may become too narrow.

Search Marketing offers a broader way of thinking: helping a brand become discoverable wherever its audience actively looks for information, recommendations or solutions.

This doesn’t mean abandoning SEO or PPC. Both will remain essential parts of a successful digital marketing strategy. Instead, it means bringing together disciplines that have often been managed separately, including SEO, paid media, content marketing, digital PR, social media and brand reputation.

10. Original, Trustworthy and Accessible Content Will Become Even More Valuable

As AI-generated content becomes easier and cheaper to produce, the internet is becoming increasingly saturated with articles, guides and resources covering similar topics.

Businesses can now generate thousands of words in seconds. But if everyone is publishing variations of the same information, what makes one website worth visiting, referencing or recommending over another?

Google Is Already Highlighting Original Content and Trusted Sources

In May 2026, Google announced new features designed to highlight original reporting, trusted publishers and first-hand perspectives within its search experiences.These included bringing Preferred Sources into AI Overviews and AI Mode, allowing users to more easily identify content from publications and websites they’ve chosen to follow.

Google also expanded its Highly Cited labels to help users identify original reporting that other publications have referenced. The update reflects a wider effort to connect users with useful sources and distinct perspectives, rather than relying entirely on AI-generated summaries. Importantly, Google’s official guidance on creating helpful content continues to emphasise original research, first-hand experience, expertise and trustworthy information.

First-Hand Experience and Expertise Will Help Brands Differentiate

As AI Search develops, we expect content that demonstrates genuine experience to become an increasingly valuable way for businesses to stand out.

For example, a manufacturer could publish the results of independently documented product testing, while a professional services business could explain how it approached a complex customer challenge and what it learned.

In March 2026, Search Engine Journal reported on research examining four million AI citations, finding that syndicated press releases rarely appeared in AI-generated answers compared with other forms of editorial coverage. While the research doesn’t establish a universal rule for how AI systems select sources, it highlights the potential value of earning genuine editorial coverage and publishing distinctive information.

Trust and Technical Accessibility Will Remain Essential

Creating original content is only part of the challenge. AI-powered search platforms also need to be able to discover and understand it.

Google’s guidance confirms that existing SEO fundamentals remain relevant for inclusion in AI Overviews and AI Mode, including making content crawlable, indexable and eligible to appear in search results. Similarly, OpenAI’s official crawler documentation explains how website owners can manage access for OAI-SearchBot, which supports website discovery within ChatGPT Search.

The Future of Search: Is Your Business Ready for 2027?

If there’s one thing these predictions demonstrate, it’s that the way people search for information, products and services is changing rapidly.

But while the technology continues to evolve, the fundamentals of good Search Marketing remain important: creating genuinely useful content, building a trustworthy brand and ensuring your website is accessible to the platforms your customers use.

The challenge for businesses is understanding how to adapt those fundamentals to an increasingly AI-driven search landscape.

Prepare for the Future of Search With ZEAL

At ZEAL, we won’t pretend to have all the answers about AI Search. It’s a rapidly evolving space, and any agency promising guaranteed citations in ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews should be approached with caution.

What we do have is a strong understanding of how AI-powered search systems discover, retrieve and interpret information from across the web.

We use that knowledge to help businesses improve their visibility through strategic consultation, high-quality content and technical website improvements designed to make their information easier for search engines and AI platforms to discover, understand and reference.

The future of Search Marketing isn’t about chasing algorithms or making bold promises. It’s about understanding how people find information and making sure your business is positioned to be discovered.

Get in touch with ZEAL to discuss how our Search team can help your business prepare for 2027 and beyond.