Part 5: The Future of AI Search: GEO Trends and What’s Next

This year, the search game changed – again.

As we’ve explored in Parts 1-4 of our blog series on GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) thanks to AI platforms and overviews within search engines, we’re witnessing a seismic shift in how people find information online. 

The days of scrolling through ten blue links are rapidly giving way to AI-generated answers that appear directly in search results. This isn’t just another algorithm update, it’s a fundamental transformation of the digital marketing landscape.

Unlike traditional search engines that simply list links, generative AI creates blended, conversational responses that are reshaping SEO in ways we’ve never seen before. And with the performance of AI supercomputers improving at an annual rate of 2.5x (doubling every nine months), the dynamics of search are evolving at breakneck speed.

You’re no longer just competing for clicks, you’re fighting for AI’s attention.

This final instalment in our GEO series explores the key trends, future developments and implications for content creation, website content and overall digital strategy in this AI-driven era. 

We’ve covered the foundations of GEO in our earlier posts. It’s time to look ahead.

The Rapid Rise of AI in Search 

The numbers tell the story best:

• 58% of search queries trigger AI overview results

• 80% of consumers trust AI responses for 40% of their searches

• 1 in 3 consumers hope AI will be more helpful for research queries in future

The shift in user queries is equally dramatic. We’re moving from short keywords to longer, conversational questions using natural language. So “Best restaurants London” becomes “What’s a good restaurant near me for a romantic dinner tonight?”

For younger demographics, in particular, ChatGPT has become their primary ‘search engine’. The impact this is having on traditional search engines is undeniable.

Traditional search is becoming the backup plan, not the first choice.

Zero-Click Experiences and Direct Answers 

AI-generated, direct answers are creating what we call “zero-click searches”, which means users get their information without clicking through to a website. 

Here’s the thing: while this reduces clicks to individual sites, content that’s featured in AI-generated responses can still gain brand visibility. Unlike traditional search engines that simply list links, AI overviews often provide citations and links to sources, creating new pathways for organic search traffic.

The difference in how AI presents search results compared to traditional search results is stark. AI synthesises information from multiple sources, creating solid answers rather than forcing users to piece together information from various websites. This shift prioritises content that AI models can easily parse and synthesise.

Fragmentation of Search Platforms 

Fact: Search is being decentralised. Users increasingly rely on diverse search platforms for information discovery, including social media and community forums. 

• TikTok and Instagram have become search engines for younger users wanting everything from recipes to DIY hacks
• Community forums like Reddit serve as go-to sources for authentic, niche answers
• Platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT now serve as primary search interfaces for millions

This fragmentation of search behaviour across platforms means your content strategy can no longer focus solely on traditional search engines.

That era has ended.

Trends: 5 Ways of Adapting Content and Strategy for AI 

Content creators, web developers and SEO professionals must evolve their approach to meet the demands of AI systems. 

Here’s how…

1. Consider Content Structure and Readability

Crystal-clear content wins. Structured data and content formatting that AI can easily parse aren’t optional anymore. And the move away from traditional keyword stuffing towards clear, contextual language reflects a broader shift towards meaningful content over manipulation.

Key Formatting Strategies

• Use headings and subheadings as signposts. Think question-based headings that directly answer user queries
• Keep short paragraphs that are easy to scan. AI prefers digestible content chunks.
• Answer questions upfront, then explain why afterwards. The direct answer format works best.
• Include Q&A sections, numbered lists and clear takeaways. Help AI understand and extract your key points. 

In addition, consider semantic relevance and context. Content should reflect the natural language of users chatting with their AI helpers. “Hair care for curly hair” might generate a traditional search result, but “What’s the best haircare routine for someone with curly hair?” will likely get an AI-summarised response.

2. Make Multimodal Content Optimisation a Must

Content is no longer text-focused. Thanks to Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and multimodal embeddings, generative engines are sourcing responses from various formats. So:

• Use images, videos, and graphics strategically
• Optimise for voice search with transcripts and alt text
• Name your images accurately, like a human would describe them
• Ensure indexing is current and allows AI crawlers
• Focus on trust signals and user experience
• Design multimodal content mobile-first 

The search experience is also becoming more sensory. Users can upload pictures to search for answers, choose video content for explanations, and use voice queries for quick information. Optimise multi-sensory content that caters to these evolving user search behaviours.

3. Think Entity-Based and Semantic Understanding

Search is shifting to focus on concepts and relationships, not just keywords. So start thinking about entities such as the people, places and things your content covers.

Schema markup is huge for this. It helps AI understand your content and builds up Knowledge Graphs. Add structured data to your HTML so AI can grasp what your content is really about.

E-E-A-T is more important than ever. AI systems want to see Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness before they’ll rank you highly. That means building up your credibility signals and making sure your expertise is clear.

Topic clustering works really well for semantic search. Create pillar pages on topics you know inside and out, then link them to supporting articles that answer related questions. Make sure your internal linking follows a logical flow that both readers and AI can follow easily.

4. Build Authoritativeness and Credibility

This requires more than good content. It demands strategic positioning across the digital ecosystem:

• Cite reputable sources and include statistics
• Use expert quotes and provide evidence for every claim
• Get featured in authoritative sources
• Use statistics strategically
• Enter content partnerships and work on your digital PR 

5. Pay Attention to Content Freshness and Real-Time Data

RAG connects AI models to real-time data, making content freshness more critical than ever. Regular updates to statistics, insights and examples tell AI systems your content remains valuable.

Real-time data integration helps AI provide users with current, actionable information. Content that reflects recent trends, current events and up-to-date information performs better in AI-generated responses than static, outdated material.

The importance of maintaining current content can’t be overstated in an era where AI systems continuously evaluate content quality and relevance.

Evolving AI Technology and the Future Landscape

What’s coming next?

Next Generation AI Models

The AI search engine market is expanding rapidly, from USD 43.6 billion in 2025 to over USD 108 billion by 2032, according to Coherent Market Insights. This growth reflects increasing user reliance on AI search for daily tasks and the technological advances driving adoption.

Leading this evolution are next-generation AI models built for enhanced search. Gemini 2.0 and Gemini 2.5 Pro, developed by Google DeepMind, focus on complex reasoning and multi-step problem solving, helping users get clearer, more accurate answers.

OpenAI’s GPT-4.5 and SearchGPT are transforming how search works by combining powerful language understanding with real-time web access. These models aim to make search more conversational, contextual and personalised.

Meanwhile, Claude from Anthropic, Grok from xAI, and R1 from DeepSeek AI each bring their own strengths and Bing AI and other emerging platforms continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible. 

With established players rolling out new features and steady improvements, the pace of change in AI-powered search will stay high throughout 2025 and beyond.

Future Search Experiences

Emerging technologies will transform the future of search within the next 12-24 months.

Agentic browsing represents the next big thing in SEO. This is AI that autonomously navigates the web, understanding context and making connections without human intervention. Extended reality integration with AR and VR will also create immersive search experiences that blend digital and physical worlds.

These evolving search experiences will require more sophisticated optimisation approaches. Future trends and predictions suggest we’ll need flexible strategies that work across traditional, AI and emerging platforms.

The future outlook for GEO involves preparing for emerging technologies. Interactive content like quizzes, polls, calculators and AR experiences are gaining traction with AI search engines that prioritise rich, user-centred content.

AI in Content Creation: Rewards and Risks

The growing use of AI tools is streamlining content creation workflows across industries.

Leveraging AI for content ideation, drafting and optimisation offers significant gains in terms of efficiency. But the risks require careful consideration. Potential quality loss, lack of originality and search engine detection must be balanced against efficiency and scalability benefits.

The collaboration between humans and AI in creating high-quality content represents the sweet spot. 

Let AI handle routine tasks while humans can provide creativity, strategy and quality control. AI-driven content creation works best when it augments human expertise rather than replacing it entirely.

Measurement and Tracking GEO Performance

Let’s face it: Traditional tracking methods fall short in the AI era.

AI-driven traffic often gets misclassified as direct traffic in analytics tools, creating measurement challenges. New metrics specific to AI search performance are emerging, such as AI visibility scoring systems, citation frequency tracking and content influence measurement.

Google Search Console continues developing AI-specific analytics tools and features. But comprehensive tracking requires new approaches that capture AI citation rates, answer box appearances and engagement from AI referrals.

The need for sophisticated measurement frameworks reflects the complexity of AI-driven search ecosystems where traditional metrics, like click-through rates, become less meaningful.

Regulatory and Ethical Considerations

Rapidly evolving regulatory developments are shaping AI search and content usage worldwide.

The EU AI Act and California’s AI laws establish requirements for transparency in AI-generated content and data privacy safeguards. Ethical AI considerations around misinformation, content scraping and responsible AI practices are becoming business priorities.

Regulatory frameworks are emerging globally with some 15+ countries implementing transparency regulations. These regulatory developments and impacts will influence how businesses approach AI search optimisation.

The New Normal

Many elements of GEO are becoming integrated into standard SEO best practices rather than remaining separate disciplines.

So what we’re calling GEO today will likely be considered basic SEO practices tomorrow. The distinction between optimising for traditional search engines and AI systems is blurring as AI becomes the default way people access information.

The Need to Adapt

Staying visible in AI-driven search requires continuous adaptation. Implementing cross-platform GEO tactics and adapting strategies for multiple AI platforms becomes essential for maintaining competitiveness.

Bear in mind that different AI search engines prioritise different content sources and formats. For example, ChatGPT favours encyclopaedic content; Perplexity AI prefers user-generated content. Understanding these preferences helps tailor content strategies for specific AI platforms.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges include:

• Potential traffic declines from zero-click searches
• Complexity in tracking AI-driven performance
• The need to adapt strategies across multiple platforms simultaneously

But the new opportunities create possibilities for brands to:

• Gain visibility in AI-generated responses
• Enhance customer experience through better content
• Potentially level the playing field through intelligent AI search optimisation

Early adopters who embrace these changes position themselves advantageously.

Final Word: Staying Ahead in the AI Search Era

AI is changing everything about search, from the way users ask questions to how results are delivered. To keep up, brands need to think smart and create content that’s high-quality, well-structured and ready for both today’s and tomorrow’s search engines.

The good news? AI isn’t here to replace good marketing. The brands that stand out will be the ones that focus on being genuinely useful and easy to find. The rules may be changing, but the goal stays the same: be the best answer out there. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

GEO is the practice of optimising content for AI-driven search engines that generate conversational answers, not just link lists.

How is AI changing the way people search online?

AI is delivering direct, conversational answers, reducing clicks to websites and shifting search away from traditional keyword formats.

Why is content structure important for AI search?

AI prefers clear, well-structured content with headings, short paragraphs and direct answers that are easy to parse and summarise.

What is zero-click search?

Zero-click search happens when users get answers directly in search results, without needing to visit a website.

How can brands stay visible in AI-powered search?

Brands must create fresh, authoritative content optimised for multiple platforms, including voice, video and conversational search.

Article by

Nicole Newman

With a decade of experience in digital and brand marketing, Nicole has worked across industries like FMCG, e-commerce, SaaS, and retail, crafting data-driven strategies that resonate with consumers. Her expertise in B2C marketing, consumer behaviour insights, and multi-channel campaigns enables her to drive meaningful brand engagement and business growth. Having worked both agency- and client-side, she thrives in fast-paced environments, leading teams to execute impactful digital campaigns that leave a lasting impression. When she’s not refining digital strategies, Nicole indulges her creative side—painting, crafting quirky home décor, or getting lost in a book by Spike Milligan or other Monty Python-esque humourists.