What ChatGPT’s New Visual Features Mean for Law Firm SEO
Posted on Friday, February 6th, 2026 at 4:40 pm
AI Interfaces Are Starting to Look Familiar
OpenAI has started rolling out visual enhancements inside ChatGPT that make it feel less like a chatbot and more like a search engine. Responses now include image-based panels and clickable news cards that resemble Google’s layout.
These features appear when users ask about public figures, locations, or trending topics. They also show up for quick facts like sports scores and conversions. This redesign puts familiar search behavior inside the walls of an AI tool, which raises new questions about how and where people are finding information online.
What This Means for Everyday Search Behavior
ChatGPT is starting to present answers in a format that feels more like a search engine than a conversation. Users now see compact visual responses for tasks like checking a score or converting units.
This reduces the need to jump between platforms. Someone looking for a quick fact or recent headline can stay within ChatGPT without opening a new tab. As more of these interactions take place inside AI tools, it could reshape how people engage with search entirely.
Where ChatGPT Is Getting Its News
OpenAI hasn’t yet shared exactly where its news content is pulled from, but the presence of story cards and live headlines shows that real-time information from websites posting news and current events is starting to matter in AI platforms.
This gives law firms a chance to expand how they think about online exposure. Being mentioned in reputable publications may now carry more weight, since those mentions could appear in both search engines and AI responses. Firms that prioritize media presence today may gain an edge as these tools become more prominent in how people gather information.
Two Platforms, One Familiar Experience
The gap between ChatGPT and Google Search is getting narrower. Google now includes AI summaries above its search results. ChatGPT has started using visual panels and news previews that echo Google’s format.
Despite the similarities in appearance, they work differently. Google relies heavily on website indexing and links. ChatGPT gives answers in-line, with fewer cues about where the information came from.
Law firms need to pay attention to both. Visibility now means showing up in multiple environments, not just traditional rankings.
What Law Firms Should Take From This
As platforms like ChatGPT change to look more like traditional search engines, people may feel more familiar using a new tool. Law firms have a better chance of appearing when they’re needed most. This is an opportunity to be the first to earn brand recognition, trust and a phone call.
If you’re ready to reach more clients in more places, we’re here to help. Click through to our blog to see how your firm can get more cases from AI search.
