Robert McCloy, co-founder of Scrunch AI, explains the current limitations of llms.txt files for AI search engine discovery.
Insight
McCloy: AI is fundamentally replacing web browsing, not just search
“Thinking about what's going on in AI as really replacing search is the wrong take, or maybe not that interesting. It's really more like AI is replacing web browsing. I think that's actually like a more meaningful, like more fundamental shift.”
Assertion Not checkable as stated
McCloy: Gray-Hat SEO Tactics Currently Work in AI Search
“In terms of like some of the more gray area SEO tactics like that, you know, Penguin was addressing with Google back in the day. I mean, I think the reality is a lot of those things do work today. Like I can't tell you they don't work, but I would say as like,…”
Insight
McCloy: AI chat queries represent higher commercial intent than Google informational searches
“In chat search people, people don't really do that. People just say, solve the problem for me. What I think is really interesting about that is, like, it's actually the highest intent. Like, it's the most valuable thing you could be doing. Because you're going…”
Prediction Partly held up
McCloy: ChatGPT Search Bans for Prompt Injection Are Coming
“I think it works until it stops working.
Right.
And I would say like, there's not a lot of stories of people getting banned for like Chatsby D search so far, but it's coming.”
Opinion
McCloy: Users dislike on-site website chatbot popups
“Nobody wants to use a chatbot on your website. I don't want to use chatbots on people's websites. Like if things pop up on a website when I go to visit it, I just like, I fly into a visceral rage. I'm definitely closing the window if not closing the tab.”
Opinion
McCloy: ChatGPT user experience is vastly superior to Google search
“The experience people have of using ChatGPT versus, like, Browsing the internet, sort of the old Google 10 blue links and clicking around is like vastly more positive, you know, compared to the past.”