Changes in the search engine – AI, SGE, GEN Z
Key takeaways In February 2024 we wrote that chat in search engines would change how people look for products. Google’s SGE was an experiment, Bard had just become Gemini and Bing Chat was hidden behind a tab. Two and a half years later, most of those predictions have come true. This update explains what changed, […]
Key takeaways
- SGE became AI Overviews and AI Mode. Both are available in Poland; Google reports 2.5B+ and 1B+ monthly users respectively (I/O 2026).
- Shopping now starts in conversations. AI Mode, Gemini, ChatGPT and Copilot show products with prices and links; Google is adding checkout inside AI Mode via the Universal Commerce Protocol.
- Fewer clicks, better ones. AI Overviews cut position-one CTR by about 58%, but AI-referred visitors arrive further along the purchase path.
- Gen Z uses many platforms, not one. 65% have used TikTok to search, yet only 4% prefer it to Google (Adobe Express, 2026).
- What to do: complete product data and feeds, descriptions that answer buyer questions, reviews, video, and measurement of AI traffic.
In February 2024 we wrote that chat in search engines would change how people look for products. Google’s SGE was an experiment, Bard had just become Gemini and Bing Chat was hidden behind a tab. Two and a half years later, most of those predictions have come true. This update explains what changed, what it means for online stores and what to do about it.
Make your brand visible – from Google to AI chatbots.
What happened to SGE, Bard and Bing Chat?
| 2024 | 2026 | What it means for stores |
|---|---|---|
| Google SGE (experiment, US only) | AI Overviews (in Poland since March 2025) and AI Mode (in Poland since October 2025) | AI summaries appear above organic results for many product queries |
| Bard (beta) | Gemini app, about 950M monthly users (Q2 2026) | Product research inside Google’s assistant |
| Bing Chat | Microsoft Copilot | Product suggestions with links, built into Windows and Edge |
| ChatGPT (no shopping) | ChatGPT shopping, 900M weekly users | Product discovery with images, comparisons and links to stores |
How do people shop with AI search in 2026?
Google: AI Overviews, AI Mode and checkout in conversation
For a query like “women’s loafers for wide feet under 400 zł”, Google can show an AI summary with product suggestions above the organic results. In AI Mode, users ask follow-up questions (“which are waterproof?”) and get product listings from Merchant Center feeds, with prices, ratings and stores. AI Mode queries are about three times longer than classic searches, so they reflect specific needs rather than short keywords. See intent-based search.
In January 2026 Google announced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), an open standard for AI agents to handle discovery, checkout and post-purchase support. Checkout inside AI Mode and Gemini started with selected US merchants and is expanding. Retailers stay the merchant of record.
ChatGPT, Copilot and Perplexity
ChatGPT shows product cards with images, side-by-side comparisons and links to stores. OpenAI tested in-chat Instant Checkout from September 2025 but scaled it back in March 2026; the focus is now discovery, with purchases completed on the merchant’s site. See how ChatGPT picks products and how to rank in ChatGPT.
What this means for traffic
- Fewer clicks from informational queries. When an AI Overview appears, position-one CTR drops by about 58%.
- More qualified visits. Users who click from AI answers have already compared options, so they convert better than average.
- Mixed intent in one answer. A single AI response combines advice and products. Stores with buying guides linked to categories and products (topic clusters) cover both.
Does Gen Z search on TikTok instead of Google?
Partly. In 2022 Google said that almost 40% of young people look for places to eat on TikTok or Instagram rather than Google Maps or Search. Newer data shows a multi-platform pattern rather than a switch:
| Finding | Source |
|---|---|
| 65% of Gen Z have used TikTok as a search engine, but only 4% prefer it to Google (down from 8% in 2024) | Adobe Express, 2026 |
| 14% of consumers prefer ChatGPT to Google for search, twice as many as TikTok | Adobe Express, 2026 |
| 86% of US Gen Z search on TikTok weekly, vs 90% on Google and 60% on the leading AI platform | WARC, 2025 |
For e-commerce, this means short video (product demos, try-ons, reviews) on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, alongside Google and AI search. Video and creator content also feed the brand mentions that AI assistants pick up.
How should online stores prepare for AI search?
- Complete product data. Keep Merchant Center feeds accurate: price, availability, GTIN, attributes such as size, material and colour. AI Mode and agents read feeds, not just pages.
- Product descriptions that answer questions. Who is it for, how does it fit, what’s it made of, how does it compare. See product descriptions ready for AI search.
- Reviews and ratings. Collect them on your site and on independent platforms; AI answers summarize what buyers say.
- Buying guides linked to categories. Answer comparison and “best X for Y” questions and link to products.
- Video and social presence. Short demos and reviews for Gen Z, on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
- Content in HTML. Key information (price, specs, reviews) must be visible without JavaScript, because most AI crawlers don’t render it.
- Measure AI traffic. Use the AI Assistant channel in GA4 and AI reports in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Boost sales with SEO + GEO.
What we predicted in 2024, and what came true
| Our 2024 prediction | 2026 status |
|---|---|
| Chat in search will change how people find products | Confirmed: AI Overviews and AI Mode are mainstream, also in Poland |
| Positions 1–8 will lose traffic | Confirmed: lower CTR when AI Overviews appear |
| Products will be shown as graphics with stores in conversational mode | Confirmed: product listings in AI Mode, ChatGPT and Copilot |
| Users will buy based on a conversation with a language model | Partly: checkout in AI Mode (selected US merchants); ChatGPT moved back to redirecting to stores |
| Gen Z will move from Google to TikTok | Partly: Gen Z uses TikTok widely, but Google remains first |
FAQ
What happened to Google SGE?
SGE (Search Generative Experience) became AI Overviews, launched in the US in May 2024 and in Poland in March 2025. Google also added AI Mode, a conversational search tab, available in Poland since October 2025.
Can you buy products directly in AI search?
In some cases. Google is rolling out checkout in AI Mode and Gemini for selected US merchants via the Universal Commerce Protocol. ChatGPT shows products and sends users to the store to complete the purchase.
Is TikTok replacing Google for Gen Z?
No. Most Gen Z users have searched on TikTok, but only 4% prefer it to Google (Adobe Express, 2026). They use several platforms, including AI chatbots.
How can an online store appear in AI shopping answers?
Keep product feeds complete and accurate, write descriptions that answer buyer questions, collect reviews, publish buying guides and make sure key information is in the HTML.
Sources
- Google: Bard becomes Gemini (Feb 2024)
- Google: Generative AI in Search (AI Overviews launch) (May 2024)
- Search Engine Roundtable: AI Overviews expand to Poland and more EU countries (Mar 2025)
- Search Engine Roundtable: AI Mode expands to 35 new languages (Oct 2025)
- Google I/O 2026: AI Mode passes 1 billion monthly users
- TechCrunch: ChatGPT reaches 900M weekly active users (Feb 2026)
- MacRumors: ChatGPT revamps shopping, drops in-app checkout (Mar 2026)
- eMarketer: Google brings checkout to AI Mode (Jan 2026)
- Ahrefs: AI Overviews reduce clicks
- Search Engine Journal: Gen Z preference for TikTok over Google drops (Feb 2026)
- WARC: Gen Z turns to TikTok for search almost as often as Google (2025)
- The Decoder: Alphabet Q2 2026 – Gemini app at 950M monthly users
- Google Merchant Center: Product data specification
About the author: Kacper Chyła wrote this article as part of the Insightland team. Insightland is a Wrocław-based SEO and GEO agency, part of the Hexe Capital Tech Hub. Contact us.
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