GenAI Is Rebuilding Search, And Google is Still Winning (Q1 2026 Search Revenue Up 19% YoY)

Every tech cycle needs a good funeral: a villain to bury and a hero to crown. In genAI’s version of the story, kill advertising (again) and Google (search) is dead. The plot is tidy: GenAI replaces searching, ads become obsolete, and the web finally escapes the “attention tax.” It’s a satisfying story.