Latent Space: The AI Engineer Podcast AI is Eating Search
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Jul 23, 2025 
Robert McCloy, co-founder of Scrunch AI and former CTO of Hearsay, discusses the dramatic shift in search dynamics driven by AI technologies like ChatGPT. He reveals that AI is set to rival traditional search engines by 2026, prompting businesses to rethink SEO strategies. Conversion rates from AI-driven traffic are outperforming conventional methods. McCloy emphasizes the importance of user intent and structured content while navigating this new landscape, exploring how AI tools are reshaping consumer interactions and optimizing content on-the-fly.
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Scrunch AI Founding Anecdote
- Robert McCloy shares the founding story of Scrunch AI and the shift in AI search engagement.
- Early chatbot widgets on websites were mostly disliked; people prefer using AI tools like ChatGPT directly over embedded site bots.
AI Replaces Browsing Habits
- AI is changing not just search but web browsing itself as users prefer AI tools over clicking around sites.
- This shift is driven by convenience and better user experience, not just platform changes.
AI Search Combines Old and New
- AI search uses traditional search algorithms plus an intelligent re-ranking step before content consumption.
- Optimizing metadata and descriptive content is crucial as ranking alone doesn't ensure AI content usage.