Google’s chief executive has said that the way people use search is likely to change as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more capable, with search tools acting less like a list of links and more like a manager of AI agents that carry out tasks on a user’s behalf.
In a recent interview, Sundar Pichai explained that search has always evolved alongside new technology and changing user expectations. In the past, this meant adapting to mobile phones or faster internet. Now, he believes the next shift will be driven by AI systems that can plan, act and complete jobs rather than simply return information.
Pichai suggested that many searches that are currently about finding information could become “agentic”, meaning the system would handle the task from start to finish. Instead of asking a question and scanning web pages, a user might rely on several AI agents working at the same time to research, organise and deliver an outcome. In this setup, search would act as an orchestration layer, directing different agents and overseeing the process.
When asked whether search would even exist in 10 years, Pichai did not give a simple yes or no answer. Instead, he said search would continue to evolve and expand, becoming an “agent manager” that helps people get more done. He compared the future experience to having multiple helpful assistants running in the background, completing long running or complex tasks.
He also stressed that it is difficult to predict the exact form search will take years from now because AI models, devices and user behaviour are changing so quickly. According to Pichai, thinking too far ahead can be paralysing when the pace of improvement is so fast. He argued that focusing on constant adaptation is more valuable than trying to lock in a fixed vision of the future.
Throughout the discussion, Pichai described the current moment as an expansion, rather than a zero-sum competition where one technology replaces another. He said Google is developing both search and its Gemini AI models at the same time, expecting them to overlap in some areas while moving in different directions in others.
Overall, Pichai’s comments paint a picture of search becoming more proactive and task focused, with AI taking on a larger role in how people find and use information. Rather than disappearing, search appears set to change shape, moving away from a simple box and results page toward a system that helps manage actions in a more automated world.
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