The end of “deep search”? Why Google's new AI is worrisome / Unsplash / Solen Feyissa
Google has unveiled a new AI-powered search concept that is changing the way we interact with information, sparking debate about the future of the internet, critical thinking, and the open web.
During the Google I/O 2026 conference, Google presented a large-scale update of the search engine, which actually turns the classic search into an AI assistant. The new concept is based on the deep integration of Gemini , which now not only helps to find information, but gradually takes over some of the user's decisions. The system can analyze queries, compare options, track changes in real time and even perform actions on behalf of a person. This is reported by Techradar .
How is Google changing the very idea of searching the internet?
Journalist Becca Caddy points out that Google’s changes could affect not only technology, but also the way users think. Previously, searching the Internet required active human participation: comparing sources, reading different opinions, checking facts, and even accidental discoveries. It is this process that often led to unexpected results.
The new AI search model aims to reduce this “friction” – all the steps that take time and effort. But with it, part of the experience of exploring information is also removed.
The author notes that such a change can affect critical thinking, because the user does not receive a set of sources, but a ready-made synthesized answer.
Why do experts talk about “cognitive simplification”?
The article mentions studies that show the risks of over-reliance on AI.
In particular, experiments by researchers from MIT Media Lab and Microsoft Research , together with Carnegie Mellon University, show that people who overly rely on artificial intelligence are more likely to demonstrate lower levels of critical thinking and have worse memory.
The idea is that cognitive skills work like muscles – if they are not trained, they gradually weaken.
In the case of Google's new approach, this means that users will increasingly delegate to AI:
- information selection;
- analysis of alternatives;
- decision making.
- What do we lose with “efficiency”?
- Another key topic is the disappearance of accidental discoveries on the Internet.
In the past, users often found unexpected resources by browsing forums, blogs, and obscure websites. This process created a ” digital exploration ” effect, where people discovered more than they had planned.
AI search, on the other hand, strives to answer a query as accurately as possible and remove unnecessary information. But it is this “excess information” that often leads to the most interesting discoveries.
The journalist emphasizes that even “wasting time” on the Internet can be an important part of the experience – it builds curiosity and helps to better understand the context.
Risk to the open internet
Of particular concern is the impact of AI on the web ecosystem itself.
Google already uses AI-powered reviews that show short answers right in search, reducing the number of clicks to source sites.
In the long term, this can affect:
- media and blog revenues;
- motivation to create content;
- variety of Internet resources.
A paradox arises: AI systems learn on the open Internet, but at the same time can reduce its activity.
The future of search: an aid or a replacement for thinking?
Google's new strategy seems like a logical step toward automating digital lives. For many users, this could mean faster decisions and fewer routine tasks.
But at the same time, the question arises: where is the line between helping and replacing thinking?
If AI begins not only to find information, but also to select it, compare it, and act instead of the user, then the role of humans in this process is gradually changing.
And it is this change , according to the author, that could become one of the most important transformations of the Internet in recent decades.