Even with the current state of Google search, finding the first truly organic web page result (excluding sponsored links and promotions) often requires significant scrolling, especially when searching for products.
The introduction of "AI Overviews" exacerbated this situation, though small and medium-sized businesses still had a fighting chance to appear on the first (or first few pages) of Google results. While its full impact in the EU remains uncertain to me due to partial availability (this is something good about EU AI regulations and must be stated) , my understanding is that it doesn't apply to all searches, meaning a site could still be discovered, but with greater difficulty.
However, "AI Mode" is an entirely different beast. If it becomes the default search option, it is extremely unlikely that medium or small businesses will be featured in the referenced links. Google itself has declared "AI Mode" to be "the future of Google Search" and a "total reimagining of Search."
My research into what's required for an e-shop product listing to gain visibility in "AI Mode" suggests that the necessary changes are often not really viable. For instance, one must add human-generated FAQs for each product, explain its usage and technical details in easily digestible text, provide detailed use cases (and limitations) in paragraphs of text, and much more.
Even if a business were to undertake such extensive work for every product, it feels as though this effort would primarily serve to make Google's "AI Mode" better itself , not benefit the business. Should AI Mode then suggest any links, they are highly likely to point towards manufacturers, Amazon, eBay, or similar dominant players in each market / marketplaces . In essence, it feels like unpaid labor contributing to Google's revenue.
Do you share this concern that Google's "AI Mode" will become the default search option in the future? What are your thoughts on this?
