By Darrin Gerr, CEO of Agency Jet.

For two decades, online discovery meant typing short keywords into Google and sifting through blue links. But since 2022, AI platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini have normalized a new habit: asking full questions in natural language and getting instant, contextual answers.

This article explores how that shift from keywords to questions is reshaping information acquisition; why Google’s dominance is beginning to erode; what market projections reveal for 2030 and beyond; and, most importantly, what businesses must do today to prepare their digital strategies with AEO and AI-ready content to remain visible in the age of conversational search.

Search reflects the early internet as a map. Asking reflects the new internet as a guide.

For more than 20 years, the internet has been defined by one dominant behavior: searching. When people wanted information, they went to the internet, and online discovery meant typing short keywords like “best restaurants near me” or “French Revolution causes” into Google. People didn’t just search, they ”Googled it”.

Google became not just a brand but a verb. Its algorithms, vast index, and intuitive design made it the undisputed gateway to knowledge. That behavior defined how businesses wrote content and how consumers consumed it.

In December 2022, something changed, and it was basically unnoticed. CNN reported on ChatGPT with the headline, “This AI chatbot is dominating social media with its frighteningly good essays.” 

That was the moment a cultural shift entered mainstream awareness. Suddenly, we have normalized a different approach: asking full questions in natural language. Instead of searching, we’re asking—and that shift is rewriting the rules of online visibility. Enter Ask or Answer engine Optimization (AEO). 

Fast forward to today, and the line between search and ask is sharper than ever. Search engines remain powerful, but conversational AI platforms are reshaping how the next generation learns, shops, works, and makes daily decisions. Businesses must adapt or risk being left behind.

Our future is clear, A 15-year-old of Today

Meet Julie, a 15-year-old sophomore in 2025. She represents a generation experiencing the shift firsthand.

• Education: At 15, she types “French Revolution causes” into Google and pieces together notes from multiple links. At 20, she asks an AI, “Can you give me a simple summary of the main causes of the French Revolution, with examples, comparisons, and a study method?” and summaries, flashcards, and comparisons, all instantly delivered.
• Shopping: At 15, she clicks through review blogs for sneakers. At 20, she asks AI for recommendations tailored to her running habits, pain points, and preferred brands.
• Health: At 15, she scrolls nervously through pages of results for “sore throat causes.” At 20, she receives a contextual triage from AI, likely a cold vs strep, with guidance on when to see a doctor.
• Entertainment: At 15, she browses YouTube lists of Netflix shows. At 20, she asks AI for a personalized ranked list based on her favorites.

Julie’s behavior reflects the cultural turning point that began in December 2022. Asking is now her instinct.

Search results vs AI Answers as Football Playbooks

Traditional search results from keywords are like calling plays from a static playbook. You still must read the field, make adjustments, and execute. AI Answers (full natural queries) is like having a coach in your ear giving real-time instructions tailored to every scenario.

Search Engines, Market Share Over Time

Google dominated search from the early 2000s until today.

The numbers tell the story, from 2015 to 2021, Google’s share held steady at over 90 percent. Competitors like Bing, Yahoo, Yandex, and Baidu barely registered. By 2025, however, Google dips under 90 percent, its first sign of erosion in decades.

Microsoft Bing grows through AI integration, Yandex gains share in Eastern Europe, Baidu remains strong regionally, and Yahoo continues to fade. But the true disruptors are not other search engines. They are AI ask platforms.

Two Ways of Finding Answers: Keywords vs Questions

The Search Model (1998 to 2025)

• Input, Keywords: “sore throat causes”
• Output: Ranked list of hyperlinks
• Strength: Comprehensive access
• Weakness: Requires clicking, filtering, and interpretation

The Ask Model (2022 to Future)

• Input, Natural language prompts: “What could cause a sore throat, and when should I see a doctor?”
• Output: Direct answers and structured responses
• Strength: Conversational, contextual, and efficient
• Weakness: Dependent on the accuracy of the model

Search reflects the early internet as a map. Ask reflects the new internet as a guide. Where search leaves the burden of sorting through results on the user, ask delivers immediate answers that remove friction.

Market Projections

By 2030

• Google, ~75 to 80%
• Bing with Copilot, ~8 to 10%
• AI Ask Platforms, ~10 to 12%

By 2035

• Google, ~55 to 60%
• Bing, ~12 to 15%
• AI Ask Platforms, ~20 to 25%

The numbers show that Google will still matter, but the gap will shrink as AI grows. By 2035 (or even earlier), one in four queries may bypass search engines completely and move directly into AI ecosystems.

Implications for Business and Society

• Education: Prompt engineering replaces keyword memorization.
• Shopping: Affiliate websites decline while AI personalization dominates.
• Health: AI triage influences early medical decisions.
• Workplace: Copilots replace traditional search bars.
• Advertising: Brands must optimize for both search engines and AI recommendation systems.

The implication is simple: businesses that fail to prepare will lose visibility across entire generations of customers.

Transparency in the Shift

At Agency Jet, we emphasize that success in both search and ask requires authority. Google rewards optimized content, while AI rewards structured, trustworthy, and transparent inputs. Businesses that lead with clarity, education, and measurable results will win visibility across both environments.

Deeper Dive on What Businesses Need to Do Now for AEO (Ask Engine Optimization)

1. Review All Content

   If your content has not been updated in the last year, it is already outdated. AI models favor current information.

2. Use Schema and Structured Data

   Structured data is no longer optional. Without it, AI cannot contextualize your information.

3. Build Authority Clusters

   One service page is not enough. Build clusters of interlinked content around each service or product.

4. Create Direct Answers

   AI prefers FAQ style responses. Building content around customer questions makes you the preferred source.

5. Prioritize Transparency, Education, and Results

   That combination is what wins long-term trust from both customers and algorithms.

SEO Without AI Is Training Without Competing: SEO without AI optimization is like practicing every day but never showing up on game day. You might be prepared, but nobody sees the result.

Conclusion

From 2015 through 2021, Google reigned with over 90 percent market share. By 2025, cracks start to appear, with its dominance slipping under 90 percent. The habits of Mia and her peers explain why. Searching feels slow. Asking feels natural.

By 2030, AI platforms will capture up to 12 percent of queries. By 2035, they may take a quarter, while Google dips closer to 55 percent. 

The world is shifting from keywords to questions. Keywords will remain part of search, but AI-driven platforms increasingly reward businesses that anticipate and answer full, conversational queries.

Those who adapt their content for both models will thrive; those who don’t will risk invisibility with the next generation of customers.

What can you do?

Agency Jet has been guiding businesses through digital shifts for more than a decade. We have seen every major change, from mobile indexing to voice search to ask or answer engine optimization. Today, we help our clients navigate the shift from search to answer or ask engine optimization by building AI content marketing strategies that produce measurable ROI.

If you are wondering whether your business is AI-ready, the answer lies in the clarity of your digital assets. At Agency Jet, we lead with transparency, education, and results. Every campaign is built to make you visible across both search and ask.

FAQs

1. Why has Google dominated search for so long?

   Because it built the largest index and paired it with strong ranking algorithms.

2. Why is AI ask disruptive?

   It removes the step of evaluating links and provides direct answers.

3. Will Google disappear?

   No, but its market share will decline as AI grows.

4. How accurate are AI ask engines?

   They are contextual and fast but can hallucinate, unlike Google, which links to sources.

5. How fast is adoption?

   ChatGPT hit 100 million users in two months, faster than any app in history.

6. What does this mean for SEO?

   SEO evolves into content structured for both search and AI.

7. Will younger generations abandon Google?

   Not entirely, but asking will become their instinct.

8. Which industries will feel this most?

   Education, publishing, retail, and advertising.

9. How can businesses prepare?

   By building authoritative, transparent, and AI-readable content.

10. What role does trust play?

    Central. AI bypasses traditional source checking, so trusted inputs matter.

11. Is Bing’s growth tied to AI?

    Yes, Copilot integration is fueling its adoption.

12. By 2035, will ask replace search?

Not fully. Search will still drive commerce and navigation, but ask will dominate knowledge queries.