Google's Q3 earnings call describes a future that could leave classic Search on the margins.

Google’s third-quarter earnings call reports its strongest year-over-year query growth in five years, explaining that AI Mode is creating additional searches. Google also laid out its plan to further transition away from classic Search toward a more agentic, task-driven experience.

The Q3 earnings call highlighted strong search query growth and the significant role AI Mode played in driving it. The company described its year-over-year query growth as its strongest in five years, including more searches with commercial intent, tying it to double-digit growth in Search advertising revenue.

Yet the earnings call made it clear that there’s a gap between the query growth and Search advertising revenue: AI Mode is driving additional queries, but those interactions generate less advertising revenue.

Google is reporting the strongest search query growth in five years but the web ecosystem is seeing the lowest levels of referrals from Google. The earnings call confirms what search marketers and site owners already know and the fact that query growth is at all time highs will no doubt sting.

“Search has strong momentum. Our AI investments are driving increased usage and overall query growth, including commercial queries. In fact, our year‑over‑year query growth rate is the highest it’s been in the last five years.

…Let’s turn to Search, which is bringing the benefits of AI to more people than any other product in the world.

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