AI-first search pulls research into the answer box, not the click

Search Engine Land published a new piece today arguing that AI answers are turning search from “click and compare” into “delegate and decide.”

• The article points to Google’s AI Overviews as a catalyst for more zero-click behavior by placing generated answers at the top of results.
• It frames AI-first discovery as conversational: the assistant can run multiple searches, keep context across turns, and return a single synthesized response.
• It says this shifts engagement toward mid-funnel assets (experience- and expertise-led pages, plus YouTube-style content) that AI can ingest and summarize.
• The post uses examples like “mid-market ERP” research becoming a single detailed prompt instead of many queries and spreadsheets.
• Named AI tools referenced include Gemini and ChatGPT; it also notes Google’s multiyear deal with Apple as a mobile distribution accelerant.