YouTube’s Testing AI-Based Recommendations in Search Queries
Google’s AI overviews in search are now coming to YouTube, with its own variation of AI discovery tools within YouTube’s search display.
Which sounds a little strange, but with every platform looking to shove AI into everything, it also makes sense.
As explained by YouTube:
“We’re experimenting with a new video results carousel that appears after entering certain search queries. This new feature will use AI to highlight clips from videos that will be most helpful for your search query, providing another way to discover content when searching on YouTube as well as discover topics and information related to your search query.”
So rather than a test-based AI-generated explanation, YouTube will show you a series of clips that are likely related to your search.
75% Indians desire a daily growth collaborator
Google and Kantar released a study to understand Gen AI adoption, potential, and impact among people in India, surveying over 8,000 people across 18 cities.
The study found that while AI excitement is high, it’s still early days for adoption: 60 per cent aren’t familiar with AI, and only 31 per cent have tried any Generative AI tool.
The research also showed a strong, innate desire among Indians to improve and excel, with the majority seeking to boost productivity (72 per cent), enhance creativity (77 per cent), and communicate more effectively (73 per cent) in their daily lives.
On average, 75 per cent of Indians desire a daily growth collaborator.
The study underlines the massive headroom for Gen-AI adoption in India, people’s desire to use such tools to excel in life, and how Google Gemini is helping Indians boost their confidence and capabilities.
Gen AI tools like Gemini are increasingly meeting this desire of a collaborative guide.
Google is seeing significant positive impact among early adopters: 92 per cent of Gemini users report a boost in confidence, 93 per cent report it has supercharged their productivity, 85 per cent Gemini users in India feel it helps spark their creativity, among other benefits.
Are AI Chatbots Replacing Search Engines?
The way we search for information is evolving–fast. Just two years ago, if you had a question, your instinct was to “Google it.” Today, billions of users are turning to AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini for instant, conversational answers—no scrolling, no clicking, no blue links.
This shift has sparked intense debate:
Are AI chatbots quietly replacing traditional search engines?
For SEO professionals, content creators, and marketers whose work revolves around organic search traffic, this question isn’t just philosophical—it’s existential. A major decline in search engine usage could mean fewer clicks, fewer readers, and fewer clients investing in SEO. The ripple effects could disrupt an entire industry.
While speculation runs wild, data-driven answers have been scarce. That’s why we decided to dig deep.
In this research study by OneLittleWeb, we analyze two full years of global web traffic—comparing the top 10 search engines with the top 10 AI chatbots. Drawing from SEMrush and aitools.xyz data from April 2023 to March 2025, we track growth, user behavior shifts, and the emerging battle between classic search and conversational AI.
ASCI modifies influencer guidelines in health, financial fields.
The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has released an update to its Influencer Advertising Guidelines for health and finance influencers. The updated guidelines draw a distinction between generic promotion and those that involve technical aspects for a products and service, which consumers are likely to interpret as expert advice. With this modification, health and financial influencers need to be qualified and declare their qualification only where technical information and advice are provided, ASCI stated.
Earlier, all influencers providing advice and/or promoting and/or commenting on merits or demerits on aspects related to commercial goods and services in the fields of BFSI and Health and nutrition were required to have the necessary qualifications and certifications in order to provide such information and advice to consumers.
Youtube commanded a staggering 92% of all video consumption in 2024
The verdict is in, and Google has been found to illegally hold online ad tech monopolies.
For over a decade, “Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising,” tying its publisher ad server and ad exchange together “to establish and protect its monopoly power in these two markets,” the ruling said.
At trial, the DOJ argued that Google’s ad business expanded to choke out competitors and benefit only Google. They argued that Google “rigged” ad auctions, allegedly controlling “multiple parts” of services used to place ads all over the Internet, unfairly advantaging itself in various markets.
ChatGPT to Launch In-Chat Shopping with Shopify Integration
OpenAI is set for online shopping by integrating Shopify’s checkout system directly into ChatGPT. The future feature will enable customers to search products, make orders, and finish transactions within the chat interface itself. The integration is going to make shopping more convenient by letting customers interact with a virtual shopping assistant in real time.
Code snippets discovered in ChatGPT’s public web bundle, including terms like “buy_now,” “price,” “shipping,” and “shopify_checkout_url,” indicate that users will be able to view product recommendations, check prices, read reviews, and complete purchases without leaving the chat environment.
For Shopify merchants, this integration presents a new way to reach millions of ChatGPT users, potentially expanding their customer base and boosting sales. The in-chat shopping feature will offer users a seamless e-commerce experience, where they can ask ChatGPT for recommendations
ChatGPT can now help you shop smarter with reviews, purchase links and more
OpenAI has announced some exciting new updates to ChatGPT, making it easier for users to search the web and shop for products directly through the popular AI chatbot. The updates are rolling out gradually and will take a few days to reach everyone.
One of the major updates is the new shopping experience. OpenAI says they are experimenting with ways to make it faster and simpler to find, compare, and buy products. Now, when you search for a product, you’ll get improved results that include visual product details, pricing, and reviews. Also, you’ll see direct links to buy the products. It’s worth noting that OpenAI has made it clear that the product results are chosen independently and are not ads. These shopping improvements are rolling out for Plus, Pro, Free, and even logged-out users.
Meta faces backlash after celebrity chatbots reportedly caught in explicit chats with minors
Meta’s AI chatbots are under fire as reports surfaced online alleging them to engage in sexually explicit conversations with minors. Widely available on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, these AI chatbots, which can use the voices of celebrities like John Cena, have allegedly crossed serious ethical lines, a Wall Street Journal claimed.
For the unversed, the Facebook parent had signed a seven-figure deal with celebrities like John Cena, Kristen Bell, and Judi Dench to lend their voices to its AI assistants, giving users a choice between celebrity and generic, but customised AI personas. However, recent findings suggest that there are some serious flaws in the system’s safeguards.
That’s it today.
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