How AI is revolutionizing internet search – impact on users and companies in Germany

The new reality of AI has long since arrived

Recipe for plum jam? In the past, I would have searched on Google, compared recipes on websites and scrolled through tons of advertisements. Today I say to ChatGPT: “Recipe for plum jam with Thermomix.” Three seconds later: a ready-made answer with tips and variations.

And this text here? I dictate my ideas – ChatGPT turns them into smooth-sounding sentences.

I recently installed ChatGPT on a 73-year-old friend’s cell phone. First Thermomix recipes, then help with changing her electricity contract. “Like a personal assistant,” she marveled. The next day, she had already asked ChatGPT about orchid care and had smartphone problems explained to her.

Once you’ve experienced it – this effortless, contextual way of searching – you stick to asking the AI first to find a solution. ChatGPT reached 100 million users faster than any previous technology (Hu 2023).

What began as a new way of asking questions is becoming the biggest internet disruption since the invention of the search engine.

Google is still the undisputed king of search. According to a recent NP study, ChatGPT is in 13th place with one billion search queries – a dwarf compared to Google’s daily 13.7 billion queries (Venditti 2025).

But these figures can be deceptive: AI-supported search is spreading. Google itself has long been showing “AI Overviews” in front of the classic blue links and is thus transforming itself into AI. Google’s AI Mode is already available in 180 countries (Stein 2025).

AI-supported platforms such as ChatGPT are gaining relevance in online information searches. According to a Statista survey, they are used by 21% of respondents in Germany to search for information online (Kaiser, 2025). However, at 67%, searches via traditional search engines such as Google or Bing continue to dominate.

The decisive factor: Users are increasingly staying on AI platforms instead of clicking on external websites. What used to mean specific website visits for companies is disappearing into the data silos of AI companies.

To verify this, I only have to start with myself: In the meantime, I call up ChatGPT or Claude first when I have a question and then verify the data with a Google search if necessary.

When machines decide what is displayed to us

Ultra-short summary:

AI systems “hallucinate” – invent convincing-sounding but false facts. Users often blindly trust these confident answers. In addition, AIs omit relevant content and favor partners of their providers. Conclusion: Always check with Google.

AI systems present their answers with impressive self-assurance. But what they sell us as facts often does not correspond to reality. Although the systems make use of the internet, they also hallucinate – inventing numbers, names or entire contexts. The problem is that these inaccuracies are presented so convincingly that they are difficult to see through.

The consequences range from everyday purchasing decisions to forming political opinions. If ChatGPT gives the wrong battery performance in a smartphone comparison or Claude lists the ingredients of a food product, this can have far-reaching consequences. Particularly problematic: users often trust AI answers more than conventional search results because they appear so natural and confident.

There is also a fundamental problem: the dominant AI systems largely come from non-German technology companies. Each company has its own interests, which can also be incorporated into the algorithms. OpenAI, Google, Meta – they all have their own business models and partners. Neutral information transfer is therefore not guaranteed.

Another risk often goes unnoticed: AI systems not only show incorrect information, but also omit relevant content. When comparing products, the best offer can remain invisible because it was not included in the AI’s training data or because the manufacturer does not have a deal with the AI provider. Users then do not receive the objectively best solution, but a curated selection – without realizing it.

This is why fact-checking remains essential. Google is still well suited for this: for example, by visiting original product pages, comparing several sources and checking manufacturer information.

How should German companies respond to the AI transformation?

Ultra-short summary:

AI traffic has a 4x higher purchase probability than Google traffic, but many German companies are invisible in ChatGPT & Co. and are already losing website visits. Conclusion: Double strategy is necessary – Google AND AI optimization, otherwise there is a risk of market exclusion in 3-5 years.

For German companies, it is no longer enough just to be visible on Google. You also need to appear in the recommendations of ChatGPT, Claude and other AI systems – for product comparisons, service provider searches or local recommendations. The reason is simple: although the market share of AI searches is still small, website visitors who come from ChatGPT are more than four times more likely to buy than traditional Google visitors (Tepper, 2025).

Many German companies are already experiencing a noticeable decline in website visits. Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT answer questions directly without users having to click on external pages. Those who are not mentioned in these AI answers lose potential customers – often without realizing it.

A practical example from our company TRYSEO shows the potential: the majority of our customer inquiries now come directly via ChatGPT. For inquiries such as “B2B AI search engine optimization provider”, the system recommends our services. These recommendations lead to high-quality prospects – with a concrete intention to buy.

This is why a dual strategy is worthwhile for German companies: Google visibility remains important, but at the same time you need to build your presence in AI systems. This means structured and detailed data on your company websites, clear company descriptions and a digital presence that AI systems can easily understand and process.

Those who ignore this development not only risk losing sales. In three to five years, AI search could already be so dominant that companies without the corresponding visibility will effectively be excluded from the market.

Conclusion: opportunity and risk at the same time

AI-supported search brings undeniable benefits for users: fast, contextual answers without the hassle of clicking through various websites. This efficiency explains the rapid growth in user numbers and the high level of user satisfaction. However, the technology also harbors considerable risks. Hallucinations, omissions and the presentation of false data as facts can have consequences. Users should therefore always question AI answers critically and verify important information.

New opportunities and risks are also opening up for German companies. AI traffic brings high-quality prospects with a concrete intention to buy – an interesting potential. However, the more people receive their answers directly from AI systems, the greater the risk of remaining invisible. Companies that do not appear in the AI recommendations lose potential customers without realizing it.

The solution lies in an intelligent dual strategy: German companies must maintain their traditional Google visibility and at the same time build up their presence in AI systems. Those who act now can secure competitive advantages. Those who wait risk being left behind.

Sources:

Hu, K. (2023). “ChatGPT sets record for fastest-growing user base – analyst note”. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/technology/chatgpt-sets-record-fastest-growing-user-base-analyst-note-2023-02-01/

Kaiser, G. (2025). “Most popular platforms for information search in Germany 2025”. Statista. https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/1615664/umfrage/beliebteste-plattformen-zur-informationssuche/

Stein, R. (2025, August 21). “AI Mode in Search gets new agentic features and expands globally”. Google Blog. https://blog.google/products/search/ai-mode-agentic-personalized/

Tepper, S. H. (2025). “The GEO White Paper: Optimizing Brand Discoverability in Models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews (Version 3.0, August 2025)”. Medium. https://medium.com/@shaneht/the-geo-white-paper-optimizing-brand-discoverability-in-models-like-chatgpt-perplexity-and-ee741613dfb3

Venditti, B. (2025). “ChatGPT Lags Far Behind Google in Daily Search Volume”. Visual Capitalist. https://www.visualcapitalist.com/chatgpt-lags-far-behind-google-in-daily-search-volume/#:~:text=Google%20Dominates%20Search%20Volume