# Why AI Search and Google Coexist in Modern Customer Journeys Stop treating AI and traditional search as separate channels for your marketing strategy. - **Source:** [Entrepreneur – Latest](https://brifing.si/source/1bee40f8-abda-4cd6-b055-05148ce79f53) - **Published:** 2026-11-06 - **Topic:** [careers](https://brifing.si/c/careers) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/03dee5ca-8f13-445a-8b6c-22a791d80293 ## The Myth of Channel Substitution Business leaders often ask if AI search platforms are replacing Google. Recent data shows a massive 93.7% overlap between ChatGPT and Google visitors in September. This high correlation suggests that users are not abandoning traditional search engines but are instead integrating AI tools into their existing online discovery habits. ## Limitations of Audience Data While Similarweb figures show significant user overlap, they do not prove a direct causal sequence. The data counts monthly visitors but fails to track the specific order of operations or intent. It remains unclear whether users start with AI and move to Google, or vice versa, during their purchasing journey. ## The Multi-Platform Customer Journey Modern discovery is no longer a linear path through a single channel. A typical customer might compare options via AI, search for a brand on Google, and watch creator reviews before visiting a site. This complex journey makes traditional last-click attribution models increasingly ineffective for measuring true marketing impact today. ## Risks of Siloed Marketing Treating AI discovery as a separate experiment from SEO can lead to inflated reach estimates and poor budget decisions. When companies view these platforms as distinct pools of customers, they risk double-counting users. This fragmentation obscures the reality that the same individuals are likely interacting with both platforms simultaneously. ## Visibility in AI Overviews Google now provides some transparency through its Search Console generative AI performance report. This tool tracks impressions for pages appearing in AI Overviews and AI Mode. While this data offers useful visibility, it does not confirm incremental traffic or revenue, nor does it cover interactions occurring on external platforms like ChatGPT. ## Refining Measurement Strategies Businesses should move beyond simple click-through metrics to understand customer behavior. Integrating lead forms or post-purchase surveys asking where customers first heard about the brand can reveal hidden patterns. Combining these qualitative insights with quantitative data from search consoles provides a more accurate picture of the overall marketing funnel. ## Strategic Alignment for Growth The goal is not to split budgets evenly but to ensure brand clarity across all platforms. Companies must ensure product descriptions, pricing, and value propositions remain consistent everywhere. By monitoring brand citations in AI prompts alongside traditional search performance, businesses can maintain credibility as customers move between different digital environments. ## Future-Proofing Marketing Decisions Success depends on connecting teams and dashboards to view the full customer journey. If SEO clicks decline while AI visibility rises, leaders should analyze lead quality and conversion trends rather than declaring a winner. Understanding how these platforms complement each other is essential for making informed decisions in a changing landscape. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.entrepreneur.com/building-a-business/customers-use-ai-search-still-googling-you — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._