Google faces competition as AI transforms search landscape

In 2025, Google's dominance over the global search market remains substantial, with approximately 90 percent market share. However, the landscape is changing rapidly due to advancements in artificial intelligence technologies. AI chatbots, including platforms like ChatGPT, are progressively gaining popularity and beginning to disrupt traditional search methods. According to Gartner, a significant decline in traditional search volumes is anticipated, with projections suggesting a 25 percent drop by 2026. At the same time, AI-powered search solutions are expected to grow at an annual rate of up to 35 percent, potentially capturing a notable 14 percent market share by 2028. This shift indicates a diminishing hold for Google, which may slip slightly to an 86 percent share by then. As competition increases, more diverse search options and tools will become available, especially benefiting small businesses that rely on customer discovery through search engines. This competitive environment is also expected to enhance the relevance and quality of search results, as AI’s capability to analyze and curate content improves. AI systems are predicted to better identify genuine content versus that generated artificially, further refining user search experiences. Despite ongoing concerns about the reliability of AI systems, with some still hallucinating information, the future points toward a significant reduction in Google's monopoly over search functionalities as AI continues to evolve and proliferate in the coming years.