genetic algorithms for NP-hard problems

for NP-hard problems, are GAs the same as random bruteforce (or possibly even worse)? or should GAs always be used instead of random bruteforce, just in case there ARE partial solutions, or can the partial solutions make the GA slow down?

to put it simply, GAs or random search when the problem is chaotic?

>>3

You can combine your genetic algorithm with random search by having the genetic algorithm start with random states in your space, and then have them find their local maxima.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_annealing