The Trust Paradox: Navigating Search Engines and AI

The Big Picture

Think about the last time you used a search engine. Perhaps you were looking for the hours of a local restaurant or researching the best time of year to travel to a certain destination. You likely trusted the results were accurate — and that trust is critical to the search business. But consumers aren’t the only ones relying on the accuracy of search engines results. Brands are, too.

Search engines don’t just provide information; they also serve as the largest advertising channel in the world, with search ad spending projected to exceed $300 billion in 2024. This dual role makes trust essential for both organic and paid results, creating a complex relationship between platforms, users, and advertisers.

Tech guru @Shelly Palmer recently shared an observation that’s challenging marketers to rethink how we view search engines: “Google is not a search engine. It is a highly specialized direct response advertising engine purpose-built to translate the value of ‘intention’ into wealth for Google (Alphabet) shareholders. It is optimized to put the right ad in front of the right person at the right time. In other words, it is designed to optimize revenue; all other considerations are secondary.”

Palmer’s observation sheds light on a paradox central to digital search – trust lives between the search engine and the consumer seeking information (information trust), and it also lives between the search engine and the advertiser investing to reach that consumer (commercial trust). Maintaining this dynamic is essential for search engines to succeed.

Why this Matters to Marketers

Trust has always been a cornerstone of marketing, but the complexities of modern search add new dimensions. Search engines aren’t just tools—they shape consumers’ perceptions of brands.

Consider this: 70 percent of Gen Z consumers and 69 percent of millennials only trust a brand after carrying out their own research, according to an Archrival study. For marketers, that means both organic and paid search can affect your brand’s reputation.

Adding to this complexity is the rise of alternative search behavior. Adobe found that nearly 10 percent of Gen Z users now prefer TikTok over established engines like Google when looking for information. Meanwhile, conversational, AI-powered search engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT’s recently launched search product are transforming how people search, creating new challenges and opportunities for marketers.

As the landscape keeps changing, it is important for brands to stay ahead and maintain the relationships they’ve built with consumers through search engines. It really comes down to meeting people where they are and creating experiences that feel natural, meaningful, and trustworthy.

My Take

Here are three key areas I am focused on:

The Intention Economy’s Double Edge

Digital search operates as a triangular ecosystem: the search engine, the advertiser and the consumer. Each corner depends on the trust of the other two to function optimally:

-       Advertisers trust search engines to connect them with genuine prospects.

-       Consumers trust the results, whether organic or paid, to be accurate and relevant.

-       Search engines trust that users and advertisers see value in their platform.

When a user types something into a search engine, they’re declaring their intentions—whether it's a need, desire, or curiosity. These intentions carry two distinct values: Information Value, which reflects the user’s pursuit of knowledge and understanding, and Commercial Value, which represents the monetizable potential of their intent.

Here lies the core tension: lean too heavily on commercial interests, and user trust erodes. Focus solely on information, and platforms miss out on revenue. The key to success is mastering this balance.

This challenges our basic understanding of digital search. Trust isn't just a simple yes-or-no concept; it exists on multiple levels. The tension between providing valuable information and driving revenue isn’t necessarily a conflict—user intent can serve both purposes. The evolution of search platforms is about finding the right equilibrium between these priorities.

The Economics of Trust

Trust has become its own kind of currency—earned and spent with every single interaction. And it’s especially valuable as consumers are inundated with unlimited information and choices, making it easier than ever to switch brands if trust is broken.   Search platforms must constantly reinvest in information trust to maintain their commercial value, while leveraging commercial success to improve information quality.

The Future Axis

AI is already transforming how we interact with digital search, and it is just the beginning. We will soon see a world where AI doesn’t just retrieve information but also acts on our behalf—potentially bypassing that crucial connection between users, brands, and search engines. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities for brands, particularly in maintaining the delicate balance between informational and commercial trust.

As AI-driven algorithms become more prominent, questions arise: How will AI impact the trust users place in search results? Can these algorithms be optimized to prioritize truth and accuracy as much as they are designed to drive revenue? And as AI takes a greater role, will users become more or less trusting of paid versus organic results?

One thing is certain: trust will remain as difficult to earn and easy to lose as ever. Brands must adapt quickly to this evolving environment by prioritizing transparency and authenticity. By doing so, they can navigate the complexities of AI-powered search while building deeper, more lasting relationships with their audiences.