AI search has been described as a "doomsday cult" by Ryan Broderick, primarily because of its potential to deeply harm the informational ecosystem. The term underscores the fear that AI will pollute and ultimately destroy the quality of data on the internet. This concept is explained in multiple parts of the podcast:

1. Pollution and Destruction of Data: AI-generated content can "pollute" the data by flooding platforms with low-quality or misleading information. This can make it harder for genuine, high-quality content to be found and appreciated. Over time, this could make it unprofitable for people to create valuable content, leading to a degradation of the overall information available on the internet. As the speaker notes, "The AI is polluting that data with AI content currently, but it also can begin to destroy that data by making it unprofitable for people to create more of it in the future" 00:21:11.

2. Curation as a Solution: Curation can help mitigate these effects by distinguishing between human-generated and AI-generated content. The increase in supply of AI-generated content will force platforms to sort out what is valuable and what is not, thereby maintaining the integrity of the information ecosystem. As highlighted, "We have to sort out what is human, what is AI-generated... maybe the most meaningful thing that will happen to the internet" 00:06:37.

In summary, AI search is likened to a "doomsday cult" because of its potential to degrade the quality of online information. Effective curation, which filters and highlights valuable human-generated content, is seen as a critical solution to maintaining a rich and reliable internet.