Deep: The UX of Search - Second Edition

2025-12-31 · Source: Department of Product · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Software Development & Engineering, Product Design & User Experience · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

The "UX of Search" report details how AI is transforming in-product search experiences across various sectors, including B2C, SaaS, and e-commerce, by the end of 2025. Leading companies like LinkedIn, Rippling, and Instacart have implemented significant changes, such as visual search, conversational interfaces, and AI-generated images using proprietary models like PIXEL. The report highlights a growing trend where traditional search merges with AI assistants, prompting users to "ask a question" rather than just search. It features over 20 real-world examples from platforms like YouTube, Asana, Instagram, and DoorDash, analyzing their UX components and identifying key trends relevant to product teams, including hybrid search patterns and search bars evolving into command centers.

Key takeaway

For AI Product Managers evaluating engagement and retention strategies, consider integrating advanced AI capabilities into your product's search UX. The shift towards hybrid search, combining traditional methods with AI assistants, and the emergence of search bars as command centers, offers new avenues for user interaction. Explore visual search, conversational interfaces, and action-oriented search to enhance user experience and reduce churn, drawing inspiration from companies like Instacart and LinkedIn.

Key insights

AI is transforming in-product search into visual, conversational, and action-oriented experiences, merging with AI assistants.

Principles

• Hybrid search patterns are becoming dominant.
• Search bars are evolving into command centers.

Method

The report analyzes 20+ real-world examples across B2C, SaaS, and e-commerce, breaking down each into company, search feature type, UX components, how it works, UI examples, and links to more information.

In practice

• Implement AI-generated images in search results.
• Integrate conversational AI into search interfaces.

Topics

• In-product Search
• AI Agents
• Conversational AI
• Generative AI
• Search UX Patterns

Best for: AI Product Manager, Product Manager, Product Designer

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Department of Product.