Will we soon stop searching the web and start delegating tasks to intelligent machines instead? According to Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the very idea of search is on the verge of a profound transformation driven by artificial intelligence. Rather than serving as a simple query-and-result tool, search may evolve into an AI-powered agent manager that operates across multiple tasks and interactions seamlessly.
The new era of “agentic” search
During a recent conversation on the future of information discovery, Pichai suggested that many traditional searches will transition into AI-managed processes. Instead of typing or speaking a question and scanning a list of links, our assistants could soon interpret intent, plan next steps, and carry out actions — all autonomously.
He described a model where users initiate “information-seeking events” that transform into goal-oriented workflows. For example, rather than asking “best hotels in Berlin,” a user might simply tell the system to plan a four-day trip. From there, the AI would search, compare, book, and even adjust based on user preferences learned over time.
Search as an orchestrator
When asked what search will look like a decade from now, Pichai depicted a platform that acts as a manager of agents. Instead of the search box serving as the end point, it could become the entryway to a network of autonomous systems completing complex, multi-step objectives on a user’s behalf.
“Search won’t disappear,” he explained in essence, “but it will expand into new forms of functionality.” That suggests the search engine’s role will shift from answering questions to coordinating how different AI systems gather and synthesize data.
From static results to continuous tasks
In this upcoming landscape, the relationship between humans and technology becomes more conversational and iterative. Rather than results pages filled with web links, users might see live updates from active agents fulfilling specific tasks — such as scheduling, shopping, or summarizing emerging research.
Pichai emphasized that this progression is not a sudden replacement of search but a natural extension of Google’s mission to organize the world’s information. Each leap in modality — the shift from desktop to mobile to voice, and now to agentic AI — has simply changed how that organization happens.
Innovation over inertia
Pichai cautioned against predicting what search will look like ten years from now, noting that AI models evolve too quickly for rigid long-term planning. Instead, he favors rapid adaptation and scenario-based innovation: developing multiple overlapping systems like Gemini and Google Search that can coexist and learn from one another.
He also described this transformation as an “expansionary moment” for technology, not a zero-sum competition between older and newer tools. The companies and creators who thrive will be those agile enough to evolve in tandem with these intelligent systems.
What it means for the web ecosystem
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the interview was what went unsaid — websites were rarely mentioned. In a world where AI intermediaries fetch, summarize, and deliver information directly, the visibility of traditional web pages may shrink dramatically. That scenario presents urgent questions for publishers, brands, and SEO professionals who depend on search exposure.
Maintaining relevance will likely require shifting focus from ranking on search results toward structuring data and content in ways AI agents can understand, reuse, and cite. The future competition for attention may no longer take place on the results page but within the algorithms themselves.
Key takeaway
If Pichai’s vision holds, the future of search isn’t about replacing links — it’s about changing the very definition of discovery. Machine-driven agents will retrieve, interpret, and act on our behalf, leaving “search” as a broader interface that manages digital intent rather than simply responding to questions.
The companies, marketers, and creators who start preparing now for this agentic transformation will be best positioned to remain visible in the next generation of AI-powered search.
