Please and Thank you, Chat GPT - how AI is rewiring the web, and us
Please and Thank You, GPT: How AI is rewiring the Web - and us
“I know it’s silly, but I always say please and thank you - just in case.”
It’s something I’ve heard a lot of people say lately. And it tells you something strange but important about the way we’re using AI. We’re not just searching or instructing anymore. We’re chatting. And that’s a very different relationship.
It's no accident it's called ChatGPT - not SearchGPT, AskGPT, or CommandGPT.
That word chat does a lot of work. It sets the tone. It encourages conversation. It makes us feel like we’re talking to something… maybe even someone.
And that shift is quietly changing everything - from how we search for local services, to how we build websites, to what we expect from the internet as a whole.
From keywords to conversations
Take the old way: you’d search “carpenter near me” and scroll through directories, ads, maybe a few reviews.
Now? You open ChatGPT and say:
“I’m planning a full bedroom refit. I want something more modern than what I’ve got now - maybe with oak, but not too dark. I saw a wardrobe I liked on Instagram, and I’d love to find someone local who can make something similar.”
That’s not a search - it’s a conversation. A little backstory. A bit of personality. And the result you get back? It feels more like a recommendation from a helpful mate than a cold list of links.
This conversational shift has big implications - not just for how we use AI, but how we write for the web.
The rise of the chatty web
If people are asking AI questions in a natural, chatty tone … shouldn’t websites respond in kind?
We might be entering a new era of content - one where the best-performing copy isn’t stuffed with keywords, but flows like a friendly explanation. Less like an advert, more like your local Facebook group (minus the angry rants about bins or potholes).
That could be great news for small businesses, creatives, and community-focused brands. If you can speak your audience’s language - literally - you’re more likely to be picked up, surfaced, and trusted by AI tools that are built to favour helpful, human-sounding content.
AI, ads, and trust
Here’s another interesting shift: trust.
When you Google something, the top results are often ads. Most people know this - and skip them. But when an AI gives you an answer, especially one backed up by links or citations, it feels different. It feels considered. Curated. Helpful.
Even if it’s technically summarising the same content, the delivery feels more like advice than sales.
This could lead to a world where fewer people click on ads - and where getting noticed depends less on how much you spend, and more on how well you communicate. That’s a challenge, but also an opportunity for anyone writing web content today.
What’s the point of a website now?
If AI can answer questions before a user ever clicks your site, what’s your website for?
Think of it like this: your site might not be the first interaction - but it’s where people go to confirm they’ve made the right choice. It becomes a place to build confidence, show credibility, and reassure the user that yes, they’re in the right place.
That means the tone matters ...
Pushy sales copy? Out.
Clear, friendly, helpful content that feels like a human? Very much in.
One last thought…
Let’s zoom out for a moment.
All of this - smarter AI, better answers, less repetitive work - could mean major shifts in how we live and work. Yes, some jobs might go. Yes, some industries will change.
But maybe, just maybe, that’s not such a bad thing.
If AI can take on the boring, repetitive, soul-sapping work, what could we do with the time it frees up?
Solve real problems? Be more creative? Rebuild some of what we’ve lost—nature, community, joy?
That might sound a bit Star Trek. But who says that’s a bad thing?
What do you think?
Have you changed how you search online?
Are you writing or planning content differently now?
And are you secretly saying “thank you” to ChatGPT, just in case?
Need help making your website sound more human - and stand out in a world of AI summaries and SEO overload?
At
Head On Creative, we write and design for real people first (with an eye on the algorithms).
Whether you need a brand refresh, blog support, or a full site rethink, we’ll help you speak your customers’ language- before the robots beat you to it.




