Forget everything you thought you knew about how people search.

In 2025, the humble search bar is no longer the default starting point. It’s being replaced—quietly but dramatically - by an AI-powered, multi-sensory discovery experience. One where you don’t type, you circle, snap, or speak.

And for brands, it’s nothing short of a reckoning.

Welcome to the new search economy - where curiosity meets machine intelligence, and purchase intent is just a swipe away.

From Search to Sensemaking

Google Lens now processes over 20 billion visual searches every month. One in five of those show direct buying intent.

But this isn’t just a new feature. It’s a signal that the interface of discovery is changing.

Enter “Circle to Search” - a new Android feature that lets users highlight any image on their screen and instantly summon an AI-powered panel of options: reviews, product listings, explainer videos, even the nearest store.

It’s frictionless. Instant. Contextual.

And that’s the point.

AI: The New Backbone of Search

Behind the scenes, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and newly piloted AI Mode are rewriting how search engines think.

Instead of surfacing ten blue links, AI now offers structured answers, expert-level reasoning, and instant pathways to action.

Why does this matter? 

Because search behaviour is evolving faster than marketers can track. Google reports that 15% of daily searches are completely new - meaning consumers are getting more creative, conversational, and spontaneous in how they look for answers.

In short: keyword-based optimisation is no longer enough.

The Messy Middle Just Got Messier

Marketers have long known about the “Messy Middle” - Google’s term for the chaotic, non-linear part of the customer journey where users ping-pong between inspiration and evaluation.

But now, it’s not just messy. It’s fragmented, AI-fuelled, and platform-agnostic.

Consumers now engage with an average of 130+ digital touchpoints every day. Search is no longer a phase - it’s a constant companion, whispering in your ear as you scroll, stream, shop, or daydream.

And the platforms are listening.

Case Studies in Adaptation

Some brands are already adapting - aggressively.

Volvo EMEA saw a 47% increase in leads by embracing AI-powered bidding and broad match targeting.

Pandora used Performance Max campaigns with local inventory ads to generate up to 41% more in-store foot traffic.

Officeworks and Four Square ran omnichannel measurement campaigns that delivered hundreds of thousands of incremental visits.

These aren’t tweaks. 

They’re transformations - powered by machine learning, fuelled by intent.

What This Means for Marketers

So what’s the playbook for navigating this new terrain? It’s less about control and more about alignment:

Be Present Where Curiosity Happens
Optimise not just for keywords, but for moments. That includes visual, voice, and contextual search environments.

Let AI Do the Heavy Lifting
Embrace campaign tools like Smart Bidding and Performance Max. They’re not just efficient - they’re essential.

Measure What Matters - Everywhere
Bridge online and offline. Connect ad views to store visits. Track the ripple effect, not just the click.

The Bigger Shift: From Intent to Prediction

AI-powered search doesn’t just react to queries. Increasingly, it anticipates them.

This has huge implications - not just for marketing, but for how people make decisions.

Search is becoming a form of sensemaking: not just finding things, but understanding them. It’s a move from utility to insight. From tool to guide.

And for brands? That’s a wake-up call.

Final Word

In a world where people search with their eyes, expect answers from machines, and make buying decisions in milliseconds - traditional marketing strategies look dangerously outdated.

This isn’t a pivot. It’s a paradigm shift.

The question is no longer whether AI will change how we search. It already has.

The real question is: Are you showing up in the new search reality - or being left behind by it?