I googled nothing this week
I came to a realization this week: I barely use Google anymore.
What started as a curiosity-trying out Perplexity, asking ChatGPT for quick summaries-has quietly turned into default behavior. I reach for specialized tools without thinking about it. They’re faster, less cluttered, and give me answers shaped for how I think, not just what I typed.
I was curious to see if I was the only one. Turns out I’m not:
- Perplexity crossed 10M monthly users.
- Reddit now shows up in half of Google queries with the word “real” in them.
- 40% of Gen Z use TikTok as a primary search tool.
Search is no longer a monolith. It’s splintering.
Google still owns the long tail-but the high-intent, high-friction stuff is leaking out.
Now I use Rewind to resurface things I’ve seen. Cursor handles all of my dev questions. For product reviews, Reddit, not Google. For research, Perplexity beats link-hopping every time.
We’re watching the old idea of “search” fracture into jobs to be done. And the tools solving those jobs best? They aren’t general-purpose.
They’re specialists.
Focused, vertical tools that answer not just what, but why, how, and what’s next.
They don’t try to index the whole internet-they just get you what you actually needed in the first place.
That doesn’t mean Google’s dead-but the gravity has shifted. The winners of the future will be the tools that give you more clarity, not more choices.
And the best ones won’t feel like “search” at all.
– Matt (@mattdowney)
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MOST INTERESTING
Aperature wants to turn your phone inside out
Aperture reimagines phones with playful, tactile design-think peekable covers and real-time animations. It’s weird, but delightful. [Special Projects Studio]
Kevin Kelly Charts a Decentralized, Human-Centric AI Future
Seth Godin says clever names don’t build trust-consistency does. Apple and Starbucks worked because they delivered, not because the name slapped. Founders: call it something decent, then get back to work. [Free Think]
Make new things and care deeply
Paul Graham argues that life’s worth comes from crafting original work, not just doing what’s expected. [Paul Graham]
TOP RESOURCES
Taming Mac clutters by auto-quitting inactive apps
MagicQuit auto-closes inactive apps unless you whitelist them. It avoids forced closures so unsaved work stays safe. Offline and open source, it cuts background bloat hassle-free. [MagicQuit]
Revamping mental routines with unconventional thinking tools
Untools curates digital resources that help you sharpen focus when you’re lacking clarity or motivation. It uproots stale mind habits by challenging routine thinking and sparking fresh insights. [Untools]
Notes on problem solving
Jeremy Mikkola outlines a hands-on blueprint for tackling complex technical puzzles. [Jeremy Mikkola]
What’s TRENDING
What happens when a game studio forces AI on its devs? Hint: Nothing good.
Almost every single metric that matters suffered after a game studio’s CEO forces everyone to use AI. [Aftermath]
Ask HN: Do you still use search engines?
Anecdotally (aka on Hacker News) we’re seeing a shift from traditional search engines to AI-driven, specific tools. Even non-techies are signaling a broader digital shift. Definitely a thread to visit and keep an eye on. [HN]
The Age of Abundance
Tom Blomfield’s essay, The Age of Abundance, examines the rapid evolution of AI-particularly in software development-and its profound implications for the future of work and society. [Tom Blomfield]
My stack
These are the tools that help me run my business every day. I happily pay for each of them-they’re worth every penny. I hope you find them useful, too.
- Beehiiv → How I send this newsletter every week. 10/10 would recommend.
- Brain.fm → How I kickstart my productivity and find flow-state.
- Figma → How I quickly go from idea to design to product.
- Mercury → The best business banking I’ve ever used.
- Screen Studio → How I record engaging videos.
- Typefully → How I post content to my socials.
- Kick → My bookkeeping on auto-pilot.
And that’s a wrap!
Thanks for reading today’s issue. If you have any ideas for what you’d like me to cover in future issues, just hit reply and let me know.
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Matt Downey
Founder, Digital Native
@mattdowney