Google has served as the ultimate source of information for years. However, that could now be changing, as AI becomes a more dominating force in the world of search. Sure, Google is still going to be your go-to tool for most searches, but ChatGPT can actually handle a lot of your queries better.
While they are two very different tools, there is degree of overlap between them. In many cases, the things you Google can be done via ChatGPT and will generate a better overall response for you.
Fast responses
Often, we’re going to Google to answer an incredibly simple question. However, if Google’s AI overview doesn’t pop up, this will still mean clicking through a couple of web pages to find your answer.
ChatGPT’s benefit here is latency, able to quickly track down the answer to any questions that you might have. For example, if you want to know who the leading actress was in an old film, or how to clean up a certain stain, these are going to be short responses, which ChatGPT can find out quickly.
Shopping insights
ChatGPT recently unveiled new features that allow you to shop via the AI chatbot’s interface. This is known as ‘Shopping Research’ and can be accessed via the + symbol on the side of the chatbox.
Using this, you can ask shopping-related questions that would often require multiple Google searches to achieve.
For example, “I want to buy a new camera, but I’m completely new to photography. My price limit is $600, and I will mainly use it for wildlife photography and taking photos of my friends.”
ChatGPT will then take a couple of minutes to research your request, responding with a bespoke guide, as well as its recommendations for the best products that fit your needs and even any deals that currently exist.
This feature can be used with a variety of queries. You can ask for second-hand products only, or even attach photos and ask for similar products.
Research projects
Somewhere that AI chatbots have really excelled over Google is in research. You can ask ChatGPT to generate a complete research report on a subject, including links to important web pages and research papers.
This is possible to do via Google, but it often requires you to make multiple searches, opening lots of tabs, downloading files and reading through loads of sources to even get started on your research journey.
ChatGPT’s benefit here is speed, getting all of the information you need gathered into one place for you to read through. Using ChatGPT-5.1 Thinking, you can let the model spend longer thinking through the task, generating an even more detailed report.
Vague searches
We’ve all been there, those Google searches which, to be honest, make absolutely no sense. Googling vague lyrics to find a song, or trying to track down the name of a restaurant with very little information.
This is an area where ChatGPT can thrive, connecting the dots in your vague searches to better generate a response, or even asking follow up questions to get closer to the answer that you need.
I often turn to ChatGPT when I have very little information to go on, finding that compared to Google, it is much better at understanding my ramblings.
Questions at specific levels
Another place Google struggles to perform is in its answers to more complex questions. Not only can ChatGPT answer these more complicated queries, but it can do so at a level that best suits your needs.
If you already have a detailed understanding of a topic, but simply want some tips, ChatGPT can fit that need. Explaining that you’re redesigning your kitchen, but have never done it before and want some tips for a particular size space, will generate a more detailed response that assumes knowledge.
You could also clarify that you already have a degree in a particular subject that you’re looking to learn more about, or that you are a complete beginner.
Predictions and opinions
Obviously, ChatGPT can’t actually form its own opinions. But what it can do is generate realistic predictions and expectations, based on its giant existing knowledge base.
This can make it a fantastic tool for trend predictions, or for trying to help you formulate clear goals and opinions on a topic.
These kind of queries can be confusing for Google, where you’re not looking for existing information, but guidance on a given topic.
Try prompts like “Where is AI predicted to be by 2030?” or “I’m looking to build a business in [insert area]. What are some concerns I should have based on recent trends?”
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