I want to share two recent experiences that dramatically illustrate how generative AI is becoming a powerful alternative to traditional search, fundamentally changing how I, as a consumer, approach problem-solving and even purchasing. One of these encounters directly led to a service call, but with me being a far more informed customer.
Case 1: The Sunday AC Breakdown – From Frustration to Focused Diagnosis
Last Sunday, I got a call: my parents' AC unit had stopped working. We have a maintenance agreement with an AC company, but the thought of a pricey Sunday emergency call had me hoping for a quick fix I could manage myself.
My first step was to check the basics, like ensuring the drain line was clear. But the house was getting hotter, and I needed more specific guidance. I turned to Google, searching for the AC unit's model name along with terms like "not cooling." The results were incredibly frustrating – mostly a barrage of ads for local AC companies eager for my business. At that moment, I wasn't ready to buy; I was trying to diagnose. I needed to understand if this was a simple fix or something requiring immediate professional, and potentially expensive, intervention.
This is where my approach shifted. I opened ChatGPT. I snapped a quick photo of their thermostat and uploaded it with a simple prompt: "The AC is not cooling the house. What could be wrong?"
The AI's response was a game-changer.
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It recognized the thermostat brand from the image and, I presume, accessed its manual or common troubleshooting guides.
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It then initiated a diagnostic conversation, asking me a series of targeted questions:
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"Is the air handler running inside the house?" (Yes)
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"Is it blowing cold air?" (No)
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Next, it directed me to the outside unit:
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"Is the fan on the outdoor unit spinning?" (No)
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"Do you hear any noise around the unit?" (Yes, a distinct low hum)
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Based on this exchange, ChatGPT offered a probable diagnosis: "It sounds like your capacitor may have failed. You could investigate this by carefully opening the access panel on the outdoor unit. If the capacitor appears swollen or bulging, that's a strong indicator of failure." It also, responsibly, advised me to consult a qualified HVAC technician.
Think about what just happened to my "buyer's journey." I went from a state of complete uncertainty, facing a generic and unhelpful wall of ads on Google, to having a specific, plausible diagnosis. When I did eventually call an AC company, I wasn't just a distressed homeowner; I was an informed consumer. I even asked them upfront about the potential cost of a capacitor replacement.
And the punchline? When the technician arrived, he confirmed it: the capacitor was indeed the culprit. My confidence in the repair was high, and the entire interaction was more efficient because I had a baseline understanding.
This experience highlighted a critical gap for many businesses, especially in the trades. Most HVAC companies optimize their marketing for broad terms like "Fort Myers AC company" or "Cape Coral AC repair." They're not typically creating content for hyper-specific queries like "LaBelle AC capacitor replacement cost" or "troubleshooting a [Brand X] AC unit humming noise." While I might not represent every consumer, the increasing integration of AI tools like ChatGPT into daily workflows, across all age groups, means more people will arrive with this level of pre-education. Businesses need to anticipate these highly specific, further-down-the-funnel inquiries with equally specific content on their websites. It’s no longer enough to just be found; you need to validate the informed user's research and provide clear next steps.
Case 2: The USS Intrepid & The Proactive AI Sales Pitch
A little over a month ago, I was in New York for a conference, trying out my Meta AI sunglasses. Walking along the waterfront, I spotted what I now know was the USS Intrepid. It looked like something my kids would find fascinating, so I took a few photos using the glasses, my phone still in my pocket.
Curious, I asked, "Hey Meta, what am I looking at?" The AI responded almost instantly, "Based on your location, that is the USS Intrepid. It was decommissioned in the 1970s..." It gave me a concise history lesson and then mentioned that there was a museum accessible on the other side of the ship.
That was cool, but what came next was genuinely startling. Meta AI continued, "Tickets are available if you would like to view the museum. It's about a four-hour tour, and tickets are approximately $38." Then came the kicker: "Would you like me to send the link to purchase tickets to the Meta AI app on your phone?"
I declined, a decision I immediately regretted. My mind raced: Where would that link have taken me? Directly to the museum's official ticketing page? To a third-party vendor like Travelocity or GetYourGuide? This was a pivotal moment. The AI hadn't just provided information; it had identified a potential interest, offered a solution, and was ready to facilitate a transaction.
This interaction underscores an even more profound shift. We're moving beyond users actively seeking information to AI agents proactively offering solutions and purchase pathways. Businesses now need to consider how their services and products are discoverable and transactable not just by humans browsing a website, but by AI agents looking to fulfill a user's (perhaps unspoken) intent. This has huge implications for API accessibility, structured data, and partnership ecosystems.
The Imperative for Change
These two incidents, one a diagnostic journey and the other a proactive commercial interaction, fundamentally changed my perspective. The reliance on generative AI for complex queries and even casual discovery is growing. It's not just about voice assistants like Alexa or Siri anymore; it's about rich, conversational interactions that can lead users much further down the path to a solution or purchase than traditional search often does.
This affects your marketing if you own or run a business.
If you're a business owner, I urge you: try using these AI tools to diagnose a problem in your industry, pretending you're a customer with no expertise. See what information surfaces, what questions the AI asks, and what solutions it proposes. The results might be eye-opening.
This isn't just a minor trend; it's a pivotal change in how consumers will gather information and make decisions. Your marketing and content strategies need to adapt right now to meet these more informed, AI-assisted individuals. The businesses that understand and cater to this new reality will be the ones that thrive.
Good News. We've got a webinar for that, and if you want some help getting ready for this shift my team at Impulse Creative are ready to talk!
