The Great Decoupling
Darwin examines how AI answers can separate search visibility from website visits, and what that shift means for publishers, measurement, and the economics of the open web.
Research · Apps · Ideas
I’m Darwin Santos. I study how AI changes search and the web.
I do research and build tools to understand it.
Research
Exploring a changing web.
Published writing on how AI is reshaping search, discovery and the web.
Microsoft Made Google Dance, but OpenAI was the DJ
A chronology of OpenAI and Google launches from ChatGPT to AI agents, arguing that rivalry is accelerating changes in search and the wider web.
Apps for the community
Practical tools
for real work.
Simple, useful tools to make your work easier and go further.
GSC Guardian
Algorithm-update context and annotations for Google Search Console.
Tools QuickView
Customizable shortcuts to SEO and web tools.
A resource to explore
The Great
Decoupling Timeline.
Follow the launches, rollouts and changes behind the conversation. Switch views, search events and follow the sources.
Embedded coverage · November 2022–July 2025
Explore interactive timelineA dated record · 27 events
- ChatGPT research preview
- GPT-4o mini launches
- Ahrefs AI Overview study
- ChatGPT Agent is released
A historical snapshot with source links. Two entries corrected; not a live feed.