Artificial Intelligence is at the forefront of nearly every marketing conversation today, especially following the latest announcements at Google I/O 2025. As anxiety grows among companies, executives, and entrepreneurs, marketing strategies are being rapidly redefined, often without a clear end goal. And while this happens, search engines are transforming before our eyes.
Conquering AI and the future of SEARCH with GEO and Digital Marketing
This article isn’t about tools or AI strategies to streamline internal processes. Instead, I’m focusing on one core question: How will your brand survive when all searches are made through AI chatbots?
What’s happening with AI, by the numbers:
1. Use of ChatGPT and Gemini for Product Research
A recent study from Morgan Stanley (March 2025) found that around 41% of users use ChatGPT monthly, and 40% use Gemini. Notably, Gemini is more commercially useful, 46% of users rely on it to research new products, 37% to compare prices, and 34% for shopping, outpacing competitors in these categories.
2. Presence of Google AI Overviews in Search
According to Ahrefs, Google’s AI Overviews now appear in 54.61% of all search queries by volume. In the U.S. specifically, they appear in 16% of searches.
3. AI Overviews Are Impacting Click-Through Rates (CTR)
AI Overviews significantly impact CTR. Ahrefs found that having an AI Overview on a results page reduces the average click-through rate for the top-ranking page by 34.5%, compared to similar informational keywords without AI Overviews.
Product, service, and brand discovery is shifting to ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity
A study from Ignite Visibility found that over 60% of people use ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot to search for products and services. This shift is accelerating, and it’s only a matter of time before the European markets follow suit.
Ads in AI Overviews Are Here: Google AI Overviews Now Include Google Ads
And there’s more: Google has begun integrating paid ads into AI Overviews. If your brand isn’t showing up “above the fold” (in the visible part of the AI-generated response), you’re out of the game. Literally invisible. Users are no longer scrolling. The AI answer is becoming the only answer.
If you haven’t considered how this impacts your business, the time to act is NOW.
Will ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot Replace Traditional Search?
Yes, without a doubt. We’re already witnessing a major shift from traditional search to AI assistants. Soon, AI will be so efficient that users won’t feel the need to search any other way.
This doesn’t mean Google will disappear, it means Google is adapting. AI Overviews are expanding and will replace most organic results above the fold. It’s not enough to be on the first page, you need to be in the answer (aka, brand presence).
What we already see in LLM responses:
- Suggested images and videos (already hapenning)
- Product recommendations with direct links (already live in Google AI Mode in the U.S.)
- Deep Search follow-up prompts (already available in the U.S.)
- And now, paid ads integrated into AI-generated answers
And when this becomes the norm (spoiler: it already is), what happens if ChatGPT doesn’t know your brand exists? You might offer the best high-end stove on the market, but if the AI isn’t aware of your business, it’ll recommend your competitors to potential customers.
The good news? These AI systems are still learning, and it’s our job to teach them what we want them to know.
Why Should You Actively Optimize for Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Perplexity (GEO)?
Many business owners are still hesitant about AI optimization. During my SEO and GEO training sessions, one common question is: “If ChatGPT gives answers based on my content, what’s in it for me?”
The truth is: consumers will continue asking questions to LLMs, and these tools will become an essential part of discovery. The only option is to adapt. Here’s why you should embrace AI optimization:
- Most AI queries today are informational, raising awareness of problems and solutions. If your content answers those queries, your business gets mentioned, building brand recognition for future conversions.
- When users search for products or services, AIs suggest options. If you want to be recommended, you need to be optimized.
- When it’s time to buy, users will research your brand. At that point, you want ChatGPT and other LLMs to provide positive reinforcement.
A recent Terakeet study found that pages ranking well for transactional queries saw 3.2x more clicks when featured in AI Overviews compared to those that were not.
At the heart of it all? E-E-A-T and strong branding.
How Can You Ensure Your Brand is Optimized for AI?
Brand optimization always starts with search, SEO remains essential, supported by PR.
LLMs learn from the web, so if your online presence is disorganized or unclear, they won’t recognize your brand accurately.
Key actions to optimize your brand for AI:
- Maintain a well-structured website: From how you write content (clear and useful) to the underlying HTML structure. Use proper heading hierarchy, tables as tables, and clearly organized content.
- Invest in case studies, online portfolios, reviews, and testimonials: These reinforce your authority and credibility.
- Get external validation through PR: Search engines need third-party validation. Appear on podcasts, publish articles, give interviews, ensure others confirm your legitimacy.
Conclusion: How to Prepare Your Brand for the Future of AI
Ranking for keywords won’t be enough to sustain your business. Users and search engines are shifting toward AI-driven search experiences.
Including ChatGPT and other LLMs in your visibility strategy is essential for continued growth.
Think of AI optimization as SEO’s natural next step, you’re not just optimizing for Google anymore, but for every AI assistant, chatbot, and search engine your customers use.
And more importantly: don’t wait until it’s too late. AI Overviews are already live, ads are being tested, and user behavior has changed.
If you’re not appearing in the top AI blocks, you’re simply out of the conversation.