Spotted: drama in the search engine world. According to Okemwa (2025), You.com’s CEO is serving hot tea, claiming that Google’s “untouchable monopoly” might actually be crumbling. That’s a bold claim, considering Google has been the queen bee of search for over two decades. But let’s face it, the vibe is changing. TikTok has already become Gen Z’s preferred search engine for everything from ramen hacks to breakup advice. Now, ChatGPT provides answers in full sentences instead of ten blue links. Curiosity has never been this instant, fun, or personal. Information is literally at our fingertips.
But hold up. Before we crown a new queen, let’s remember what made Google so powerful. According to Badola (2025) calls its business strategy “nearly untouchable,” and the numbers don’t lie. This means that Google gets cheaper and more effective the more people use it (creating economies of scale, duh). Then there are the network effects, where its algorithms are fed by billions of daily searches, which makes the platform smarter and draws more users. It’s a positive cycle that makes it hard for competitors like TikTok or ChatGPT to break.
Our world is constantly changing, and so is users’ behavior. New trend, new sound, new everything. TikTok changed how people discover new content and showed how specific a search can be. ChatGPT offers different ways of looking at things by giving conversational and personalized answers that feel like talking to a very smart bestie or well-renowned professor. Google’s comeback move? Envelopment, classic. By adding Gemini AI directly into Chrome, it’s combining the new feature with existing services. Instead of letting competitors steal the spotlight, Google is taking the lead on new ideas and innovation.
So, is Google’s dominance coming to an end? Not yet, in my opinion. TikTok and ChatGPT might be making some moves, but Google’s network effects and economies of scale make it difficult for others to compete.
XOXO, Search Girl đź’„
Bibliography:
Badola, A. (2025, September 14). What makes Google’s business model nearly untouchable. Arthnova. https://arthnova.com/what-makes-googles-business-model-nearly-untouchable/
Okemwa, K. (2025, March 10). You.com CEO claims Google’s reign as an “untouchable monopoly” in search will end soon — even… Windows Central. https://www.windowscentral.com/software-apps/browsing/you-com-ceo-claims-googles-reign-as-an-untouchable-monopoly-in-search-will-end-soon
