By Chris Daly, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Marketing
For the first time in 22 years, Google searches on Safari have declined. This isn’t just a blip in browser behaviour – it’s a seismic shift in how people find information online. Increasingly, users are bypassing traditional search engines entirely, opting for conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT to get straight answers, not results. And critically – not ads.
In fact, ChatGPT is now the fifth most visited website in the world. That speaks volumes about what users value today: directness, clarity, and a more human interaction with technology. The frictionless exchange of questions and answers has trumped the clutter of sponsored content, SEO tactics and endless blue links.
This isn’t just a platform trend. It’s a generational pivot. And for marketers, it changes everything.
From Search to Speak: a paradigm shift
The rise of conversational AI is more than the creation of a new tool – it’s a fundamental change in how people engage online. For years, marketers have relied on cookies to track behaviour, build audience profiles, retarget users, and measure campaign performance. That model depends on people browsing the web, visiting sites, and leaving a trail – but that trail is vanishing.
AI tools like ChatGPT don’t run on cookies, track browsing history or serve ads in traditional formats. Instead of clicking through pages, users get direct answers in a closed conversation. There’s no room for tracking pixels, and no obvious path for retargeting or attribution.
For marketers, this is a major disruption. The old playbook – based on visibility and behaviour tracking – no longer applies. As AI becomes the first point of contact, the challenge shifts from monitoring actions to earning trust in entirely new spaces.
The trust imperative
In this environment, brands face a stark choice: either adapt to this new model of digital trust – or risk losing touch with their target audiences.
That’s why trust – not traffic – is becoming the most important currency in marketing. Consumers want to know who’s behind the answers they receive, whether data is being ethically sourced, and if algorithms reflect bias or transparency.
For brands, the pressure is on to show up not just where consumers are, but also how they expect the brands to be. It’s no longer about who shouts the loudest; it’s about who’s the most credible.
This is where the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s four guiding principles come in. Developed to help marketers navigate the ethical complexities of AI, these guiding principles should form the foundation of every AI-powered strategy, tool, or campaign.
- Act ethically, responsibly and with integrity – While AI presents exciting opportunities, the risk of misuse cannot be understated. Unethical operators have already utilised AI to spread misinformation and disinformation, create deep fakes and commit fraud. It’s crucial for marketers to be guided by ethics and integrity when using this new technology.
- Ensure quality – Generative AI has demonstrated its ability to increase productivity by automating repetitive tasks, drafting copy, generating ideas, and summarising documents. However, it has also shown inaccuracies, hallucinations, and biases. Therefore, marketers using this technology must employ critical thinking and always assess the quality of the outputs of generative AI.
- Be transparent – Businesses should be upfront about how AI is used, particularly when it involves customer data. Establishing clear policies on AI-driven data processing is likely to become a standard expectation.
- Build AI awareness – Before adopting AI, marketers need to fully understand its capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications. Staying informed on the latest developments in the field, including topics such as best practice, upcoming legislation and privacy concerns, is essential. Having specialist knowledge will enable marketers to make informed decisions, ensuring AI is used effectively and responsibly.
Adhering to these principles doesn’t just protect consumers – it protects brand equity. In an era where reputational damage can travel faster than any media spend, brands that fail to adopt responsible AI practices risk losing both relevance and trust.
From tracking to trusting
The pivot from search engines to AI assistants represents a broader cultural shift: from tracking behaviour to trusting relationships. And that demands a new mindset from marketers.
Ethical use of data is no longer a compliance issue – it’s a competitive differentiator. Generative AI is already being embedded into media buying, customer service, content creation, and CRM. But without a values-based framework, even the smartest automation can alienate the very audience it seeks to engage.
The race to AI fluency doesn’t excuse cutting corners. Rapid digitisation must not come at the cost of ethics, IP ownership, or consumer confidence. The brands that win in the AI age will be those that balance innovation with responsibility.
The road ahead: lead or linger
Marketers now face a defining question: chase what’s left of the cookie trail, or help build a future rooted in transparency and trust?
Sticking with outdated models – endless A/B testing, pixel tracking, third-party data dependence – might buy a little more time. But it won’t build long-term relationships. It won’t prepare your brand for a world where AI mediates more customer interactions than your website ever could.
The opportunity is clear: don’t just react to AI – lead with it. But lead responsibly. Embed the CIM’s guiding principles into your workflows, your team culture, and your martech stack. Let them shape not only what you do, but how you do it.
Because when the rules of engagement change, the brands that succeed are the ones who choose to evolve and change to ensure that they stay relevant.
Trust is the new algorithm. It’s one your brand needs to crack.
