There’s been a lot of noise on LinkedIn and across marketing circles lately: Is ChatGPT about to take over Google? Are search engines on their way out?
In this week’s Session, Aaron breaks down the numbers and shares exactly what home and garden brands need to know.
The perception vs. the reality
ChatGPT is everywhere. It’s in the headlines, on your feed, and probably already embedded in the way you work. It’s easy to assume, then, that people are ditching Google in favour of AI search tools.
But that assumption doesn’t match what’s actually happening. Yes, AI is transforming workflows and unlocking new efficiencies. But when it comes to how people find products, services, and answers, Google is still the go-to. And that matters hugely for any brand running digital marketing.
Google is still 210x bigger than ChatGPT
Despite the buzz, Google remains a search giant. The numbers are staggering: Google processes around 14 billion searches every single day. ChatGPT? Just 66 million search-style prompts daily.
That’s where the “210 times bigger” stat comes from, and it shows how wide the gap really is. Search intent still overwhelmingly lives on Google. So if you’re wondering whether to pause Google Ads in favour of AI tools, this is your reason not to.
Only 21% of AI prompts are for ‘search’
A recent Harvard report revealed that just 21.3% of ChatGPT prompts are people actively looking for something – like a product, a service, or an answer. That means nearly 80% of usage is coming from automated systems, APIs, and background tools.
This is where the misunderstanding often creeps in. ChatGPT is being used heavily, yes, but not in the way Google is. The majority of prompts aren’t your potential customers searching with commercial intent. They’re businesses using AI for internal tasks, not consumer discovery.
Bing is 10x bigger than ChatGPT search
Even Bing, often overlooked in the digital marketing world, is outpacing ChatGPT by a significant margin, with over 600 million daily searches.
That’s important because Bing powers the search results inside ChatGPT. So when you advertise on Bing, you’re not just reaching a solid (and often cheaper) audience. You’re also feeding directly into ChatGPT’s LLM, meaning your site could be referenced in AI-generated answers.
Google still dominates home and garden searches
Closer to home, in the UK home and garden sector, the data is just as telling. Over 44% of all search traffic in this space still comes through Google. That’s where people go when they’re searching for garden furniture, luxury interiors, or a local landscaping service.
If you’re running ads or SEO in this sector, it’s clear you’re in the right place. And when you add Bing into the mix, you cover even more intent-led search. Together, they form a powerful one-two punch for reaching ready-to-buy customers.
What this means for your marketing
So what should you actually do with this information? First, don’t overreact to headlines. ChatGPT is an incredible tool, and you should be using it to help improve your internal workflows, content production, and efficiency.
But from a marketing standpoint, don’t abandon what works. Google and Meta are still the primary drivers of sales and leads for most home and garden brands. Email, brand, and referrals remain just as crucial. AI should support your strategy, not replace it.
The 1% myth
Even if AI adoption continues at its current pace, it’ll still take about three years for AI-powered search to reach just 1% of the total search market. That’s the reality.
And while that growth will likely accelerate over time, the gap between AI prompts and search intent remains wide. Google is deeply ingrained in user behaviour. It’s part of our daily lives, and that won’t change overnight.
Final thoughts
The idea that ChatGPT is replacing Google makes for a great headline, but it just doesn’t hold up under scrutiny. AI is powerful, but it’s not replacing how we search, at least not yet.
If you’re a small business owner in the home, garden, or lifestyle space, keep doing what works. Continue to invest in Google, test Bing, refine your email strategy, and keep telling your brand story. Use AI to get smarter, but remember, the fundamentals haven’t changed.
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