Traditional Search vs. Semantic Search: How AI Is Changing Material Search

The Evolution of Product Discovery in the Building Industry

For decades, manufacturers and suppliers relied on traditional search engines like Google to help buyers find their products. However, for specialized materials, traditional search failed, forcing buyers to rely heavily on sales reps, trade shows, and conferences to discover new materials and equipment.

Why Traditional Search Didn’t Work for Material Buyers

Traditional search engines operate based on keyword rankings, making it difficult for buyers to find the exact materials they need.

A buyer—say an architect—searches for “blue square tiles.”
Google returns thousands of results, but there’s no way to filter by material type, heat resistance, dimensions, installation requirements, or warranty.
The buyer has to manually click through links, PDFs, and spec sheets, leading to frustration and delays.

This is why the industry still relied on reps and trade shows—because Google search didn’t provide the necessary depth for complex materials.

How Semantic Search Changes Buyer Behavior

With semantic search, buyers can describe exactly what they need in natural language, and AI understands the full context of their request.

Example:

A buyer can search: “I need a blue, square tile, 5x5 inches, with 50% more ceramic content, heat-resistant for commercial use, and a 5+ year warranty.”
Instead of a generic list of blue tiles, AI-powered search delivers precise product matches that fit these exact specifications.
Buyers get results faster, with the right materials, reducing decision-making time.

Where JoziAI Comes In

We built JoziAI to make your materials fully AI-searchable across all major AI search engines and our exclusive architects-only search engine used by top firms.

Our technology:

Enriches and structures your product catalog – Every product is processed to include:
- Dimensions and material specifications
- Installation instructions
- Warranty details
Goes beyond traditional listings – If you sync your ERP, we automatically add:
- Availability
- Order size requirements
- Delivery location options
- Pricing
Simplifies buyer inquiries – We provide a direct connection link where interested buyers can request pricing details with one click, saving your sales team’s inbox from clutter.

Why This Matters for Material Vendors

Value engineers, architects, and contractors no longer need to rely solely on Google.
Your materials become instantly discoverable on AI-powered search engines.
Buyers get precise, detailed matches—leading to faster and more confident purchasing decisions.

The Shift to AI Search is Happening Now

Traditional search left buyers frustrated. AI search removes friction and puts manufacturers directly in front of decision-makers.