Will ChatGPT replace traditional search engines in the next 5 years?

Question

Hi everyone,

With the rapid rise of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, many are asking whether traditional search engines like Google or Bing will still dominate in the coming years.

Do you think ChatGPT (or other AI chatbots) can completely replace search engines within the next 5 years? Or will both coexist, serving different purposes?

Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from a developer’s perspective—how do you see this impacting users, businesses, and us as tech professionals?

Thanks!

Sam Hobbs · Answer

People tend to use the term AI without understanding what it is, People can use AI without understanding how it works just as we can use many other tools, such as automobiles, without understanding how they work. Answering your question I think requires understanding what AI is in the context of search engines. As best as I understand things, an AI search engine is mostly a Natural Language processor (often called LLM now) to understand the question and a traditional search engine. There is probably some additional processing and understanding what that is is important. The important thing I think is that an AI search engine requires everything that a traditional search engine does. I think it is not a matter of replacing, I think AI is just an additional feature. You might say, oh but AI generates code and a traditional search engine does not. I think AI must find sample code somewhere and I think a traditional search engine does that. I think you need to understand better what an AI search engine actually is.

Mahesh Chand · Answer

Interesting question. I use ChatGPT a lot, but the reality is, every search costs AI something. I think both will co-exist but the type of searches and use will change. AI is not for everything and should not be used due the cost associated with it. Time will tell .

Will ChatGPT replace traditional search engines in the next 5 years?

Answers (2)