Search is becoming a conversation, and advertising is being rebuilt around it. As users trade five-word queries for detailed exchanges with AI platforms, marketers gain access to something far more valuable than inferred behavior: explicit, real-time intent. The opportunity is clear, but the economics are not. Until conversational AI platforms deliver reliable conversion tracking and measurable ROI, most brands will hesitate to shift meaningful budget into a channel that promises precision yet withholds proof.
Hannah Manson is a Paid Media Manager at HawkSEM. Having held senior roles at firms such as Anthologic and Dotdash Meredith, she has a practitioner’s view of how advertising models evolve. Her work as a freelance consultant who develops tailored omni-channel marketing strategies gives her a unique perspective on how brands can adapt to this major change in search behavior.
“Conversational AI changes the entire advertising model by shifting it from predicting what users might want to responding to what they’re actively asking for in real time, which makes their intent far more explicit and valuable," says Manson.
Follow the money: Manson acknowledges that while the opportunity is there, there are also challenges with advertising through conversational AI. "The difficult part with conversational AI ads is the lack of metrics. Most companies need to ensure their advertising budget provides a return on investment, and right now, these platforms don't provide the conversion metrics to guarantee that."
Look for signs: As platforms like ChatGPT continue to evolve, many advertisers are finding that their strategic playbooks need to be re-evaluated. Marketers must move beyond predictive models and toward responding to explicit needs in the moment they are expressed. "With conversational AI, we have to act in the moment," says Manson. "While we can use predictive measures and add themes to the ads, we must rely on AI and its signals because it acts faster than humans can think and process. We simply can't keep up."
It knows you bake: "ChatGPT knows I'm a homeowner because I've chatted with it about my interests, like baking sourdough, lifting at the gym, and marketing. Based on this history, it knows what I might be looking for. For example, as a homeowner, I might want to renovate my bathroom. Over time, ChatGPT can understand that I'm going down that path and be ready to show me relevant ads whenever I get to that point."
In this conversational AI ad model, the psychological relationship with the user changes, as many engage with AI as a research partner to be consulted. When users approach these platforms for advice, success hinges on advertisers moving beyond "salesy" copy and adopting the role of a trusted expert, a principle that aligns with emerging strategic playbooks focused on building authentic human connections.
Advisor, not advertiser: "People look at that platform very differently," says Manson when referring to user'' perception of ChatGPT and other conversational AI platforms. "They see it as a source for honest truth. I'm looking for advice and seeking research from ChatGPT, so the ad copy can't be super salesy because that defeats the purpose. The ads need to show that my company is an expert in this industry, without using pushy language."
One interaction to rule them all: A key long-term impact, Manson says, will be the collapse of the marketing funnel. "We typically see people go to ChatGPT for the research phase. Once they decide they want to purchase red pump heels, they then go to Google to search for a specific pair. That's what it looks like right now, but in one to three years, I think it will look very different. People will start making those purchase decisions directly within conversational AI platforms like ChatGPT, where we can also track the conversions." As a result, the customer journey will consolidate into a seamless experience where the entire journey, from discovery to purchase, happens within a single interaction. AI search is eliminating the funnel as we know it, with brand discovery, evaluation, and vendor comparison now happening simultaneously.
Manson concludes by saying that this change may redefine the very role of the marketer. Marketing's objective is shifting from guiding buyers through stages to being present and credible wherever buyers seek solutions. In her vision, AI augments the marketer's strategic potential more than anything, a change she predicts will arrive within a one-to-three-year window. And, perhaps, "a lot quicker than we even realize."
