Future of Search

A year ago, in the panel “Future of Search: How AI is changing internet search and what this means for media companies”, we discussed whether AI answer engines from Google, Perplexity or OpenAI mean the end of traditional reach models and SEO. Since then, developments have exploded: Google has introduced AI Overviews across the board, leading to a sharp drop in traffic for many publishers. In this follow-up panel of the MedienNetzwerk Bayern think tank, we provide exciting updates on the rapid changes since 2024, discuss industry reactions - from crawler blockades to lucrative partnerships - and summarize new rules: Should media houses rely on licensing deals, strictly protect copyright or specifically optimize content for AI? We work with industry pioneers to develop concrete strategies to equip media companies for the next AI wave. We also ask ourselves whether these “answer machines” will keep their promises, or whether hallucinations and errors will drive users back to reliable sources?