AI and the Future of Search: What’s Changing and How to Get Ahead of the Competition

Search is being rebuilt in real time. The old model – type keywords, scan results, click a link – is being replaced by AI-led answers, summaries, and conversational discovery. For businesses, this isn’t a small algorithm update. It’s a structural shift in how customers find information and make decisions online.

Google is rolling out AI-powered answers directly within search results through its new AI Overviews feature. Microsoft has launched Copilot Search inside Bing, blending generative answers with traditional search results. Meanwhile, Gartner predicts that traditional search volume could drop by 25% by 2026 as users increasingly rely on AI assistants and chatbots.

The message is clear: visibility is no longer just about ranking first – it’s about being selected, cited, and trusted by AI systems.

This article explains what AI search really means, how it affects SEO and paid media, and how GSM Collective is ensuring our clients stay ahead of the curve.

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What Does AI Search Actually Mean?

AI search is not one single product. It’s a collection of changes reshaping how people find information online.

First, we have AI summaries appearing inside traditional search engines. Google’s AI Overviews are designed to answer queries directly at the top of search results, often pulling information from multiple sources into one concise response:

Second, there are fully conversational search experiences like Microsoft Copilot, which allow users to ask follow-up questions and refine answers in real time:

Third, the rise of “zero-click” search is accelerating. Even before AI, many searches ended without a click thanks to featured snippets and knowledge panels. AI answers take this further by resolving more questions directly on the results page.

Finally, discovery is becoming multimodal. Users can now search using images, video, and voice, rather than just typed keywords. Google has openly stated that multimodal search is a major focus of its AI strategy.

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The Data Behind the Shift

There is already meaningful research showing how AI is changing online behaviour.

Gartner’s widely cited forecast suggests that a quarter of traditional search engine usage could disappear by 2026 due to AI chatbots and virtual agents.

At the same time, BrightEdge research indicates that while AI-driven search is growing quickly, it currently accounts for less than 1% of referral traffic. Traditional organic search remains dominant for now.

This means businesses must prepare for the future of AI search without abandoning the SEO fundamentals that still drive real traffic today.

Google has also confirmed that AI Overviews will continue expanding as a core part of the search experience.

In the UK, regulators are already examining how AI answers use publisher content and how attribution should work in the future.

All of this points to one conclusion: AI search is not experimental – it is becoming the new normal.

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What AI Search Means for SEO?

Traditional SEO has always been about ranking well and earning clicks. AI search changes that dynamic. Increasingly, success will be about being recognised as a trusted source rather than simply earning a position on page one.

Content strategy must evolve from targeting simple keywords to answering real customer questions clearly and directly. AI systems favour content that is structured, factual, and easy to extract information from.

Technical SEO also becomes more important, not less. Fast websites, clear site architecture, strong internal linking, and proper schema markup all help AI systems understand and reference your content accurately.

In short, the future of SEO is about clarity, credibility, and machine-readability as much as traditional rankings.

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What AI Search Means for Paid Media?

Paid media is not going away – but its role is shifting.

As AI answers absorb more informational searches, the remaining clicks at the bottom of the funnel become even more valuable. Businesses need to focus paid budgets on high-intent searches such as “book now,” “prices,” “near me,” and “availability.”

Creative quality also becomes critical. On platforms like Meta and YouTube, advertising is increasingly about building brand trust and demand so that when AI systems recommend options, your brand is already familiar to the user.

Measurement must also evolve. Businesses need stronger first-party tracking, better attribution, and clearer links between ad spend and real revenue.

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How GSM Collective Is Staying Ahead for Our Clients?

At GSM Collective, we are not waiting for AI search to disrupt our clients – we are actively building strategies that embrace it.

AI Search Visibility Audits

We analyse where AI answers appear for key commercial searches, which sources are being cited, and where our clients have opportunities to become the preferred reference. This goes far beyond traditional rank tracking.

Content Built for AI and Humans

We create structured, intent-driven content designed to answer real questions clearly. That means FAQs, comparison pages, service explanations, and location-specific content written to be easily understood by both users and AI systems.

Entity-First SEO

AI relies on understanding brands as entities. We ensure client websites clearly communicate who they are, what they do, where they operate, and why they are credible. This strengthens both AI visibility and traditional SEO.

Technical Foundations

Proper schema markup, clean site structure, fast performance, and accurate indexing are essential. We implement best-practice technical SEO so that AI systems can reliably interpret and surface our clients’ information.

Integrated Paid and Organic Strategy

We combine Google Ads, paid social, YouTube, and SEO into a single coordinated approach. This ensures our clients capture demand wherever it appears, whether through AI answers, traditional search, or social discovery.

Measurement That Connects to Revenue

Everything we do is built around clear tracking and reporting, linking digital activity directly to leads, bookings, and sales rather than vanity metrics.

You can learn more about our approach to SEO here: /services/seo

Our Google Ads services: /services/google-ads

And our paid social expertise: /services/paid-social

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Practical Steps Businesses Should Take Now

To prepare for AI-driven search, businesses should focus on several key areas.

Create content that directly answers customer questions rather than generic blog posts. Implement FAQ sections that mirror how real people speak. Publish clear pricing and service information where possible.

From a technical perspective, ensure your site is fast, mobile-friendly, properly indexed, and supported by structured data. Strengthen internal links to your most important commercial pages.

Build authority through reviews, credible third-party mentions, and consistent local listings.

And most importantly, align paid and organic search so that every stage of the customer journey is covered.

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The Road Ahead

Search is moving from results to recommendations. The brands that win will be those that are easy to understand, easy to trust, and easy for AI systems to reference.

At GSM Collective, we are already helping clients adapt to this new reality – combining proven digital marketing fundamentals with AI-ready strategies that protect and grow visibility.

If you’d like to understand how AI search will impact your business specifically, we offer a focused AI Search Visibility Audit to identify quick wins and long-term opportunities.

Get in touch with our team here: /contact