The way we search the internet is undergoing a significant transformation. According to new research from Adobe, AI search has become a substantial traffic channel for retailers, with referrals surging 1,300% during the 2024 holiday season compared to 2023. This dramatic increase suggests that consumers are quickly adapting to a new format: AI chatbots that do the searching for them.

The Adobe report, which analyzed over 1 trillion visits to U.S. retail sites and surveyed more than 5,000 U.S. respondents, reveals that users who are referred from AI search tend to stay on the site 8% longer, browse through different pages 12% more, and are 23% less likely to just visit the link and leave. This could indicate that AI tools are directing people to more relevant pages than traditional search.

The rise of AI search is not without its challenges. The rollout of generative AI search tools has been imperfect, with early mistakes and controversies surrounding startups like Perplexity, which has been accused of plagiarism. Google's AI Overviews, launched almost a year ago, also faced issues, providing incorrect information and sparking concerns about the technology's reliability.

Despite these early issues, OpenAI launched its own search feature last year within its flagship product, ChatGPT. The company took a more cautious approach, announcing the launch as a prototype and emphasizing the importance of media partnerships and publisher control. OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has expressed reservations about incorporating ads into ChatGPT, citing concerns about the potential for "ads-plus-AI" to be "uniquely unsettling."

The implications of AI search's rise are significant. Traditional search, which has been criticized for being broken and clogged with ads and SEO spam, may be facing a major disruption. AI search is emerging as a potential fix, offering a more personalized and relevant experience for users. As consumers continue to experiment with this new way of finding things online, the question remains: can AI search avoid the same corrupting forces that have affected traditional search?

The future of AI search is uncertain, but one thing is clear: consumers are driving its adoption. As the technology continues to evolve and improve, it will be interesting to see how companies like Google, Perplexity, and OpenAI respond to the changing landscape. One thing is certain – the way we search the internet is changing, and AI is leading the charge.