How AI is Reshaping Search and What Businesses Need to Do About It
The digital search landscape is undergoing a seismic shift, and businesses that fail to adapt risk being left behind. According to Gartner, search engine volume is projected to drop by 25% by 2026 due to AI-powered chatbots and virtual agents. Based on current trends in 2025, we anticipate this decline could reach 50% by 2028—or even sooner. This shift is driven by the rise of fragmented search experiences, AI-powered decision-making, and new platforms challenging Google’s dominance.
The Fragmentation of Search
Traditional search engines, like Google, are losing market share as AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini provide users with direct, AI-curated answers. Google is adapting by introducing AI overviews in search results, but its share of the U.S. search ad market is expected to drop below 50% for the first time in over a decade.
This shift introduces a fundamental challenge: the customer journey is no longer linear. Users now explore information across multiple AI models before returning to platforms like Google to finalize decisions—a concept known as the explore vs. exploit tradeoff. Businesses must now optimize their digital presence across a broader ecosystem rather than focusing solely on traditional SEO tactics.
The Impact of AI on Rankings and User Behavior
AI-driven search results are becoming increasingly personalized and private, meaning traditional ranking factors are no longer universal. Instead, every interaction with AI contributes to a user’s unique search experience, continuously reshaping ranking criteria. This fragmentation demands a new approach to SEO and digital marketing:
AI Trust Signals
AI models evaluate content based on informational quality theory—ensuring consistency, credibility, and freshness are key factors in determining visibility.
AI Models and Their Data Sources
Unlike Google, which has long relied on AI to refine search results, emerging AI platforms do not send information back to a central index. This makes data consistency across the internet more important than ever.
The Power of Rest of Network (RON)
A study done by YEXT of 721,000 businesses showed that being present across the full RON dramatically increases ROI. A 1% increase in updates resulted in a 2.23% increase in clicks, reinforcing the importance of real-time data updates for local listings.
Future-Proofing Your Digital Strategy
With AI-driven search taking center stage, businesses need a proactive approach to remain visible and relevant:
Clear, Consistent Data Across Platforms
AI platforms rely on structured, accurate data. Ensuring your business listings, social profiles, and website content are updated frequently builds trust with both users and AI models.
Frequent Updates & Real-Time Optimization
Data recency acts as a “proof of life” for businesses. However, updates must be made strategically—frequent, real-time updates yield higher ROI, but random or inconsistent changes can dilute credibility.
Social and Third-Party Signals Matter
AI models actively check for social signals, page updates, and business listings. Maintaining an active presence across multiple platforms ensures that your business remains authoritative.
The Dual Audience of Digital Presence
The modern digital presence serves two audiences: human users and machine-learning algorithms. If your business fails to align with AI-driven ranking factors, it will not be surfaced to human users. To succeed in this new era of search, businesses must prioritize both algorithmic trust and user engagement.
The rapid evolution of AI in search isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental shift that will redefine how customers find and interact with brands. Businesses that embrace these changes and invest in a scalable, AI-aligned strategy will thrive in the new digital landscape.
Are you ready to future-proof your business for AI-driven search?
Now is the time to adapt and lead the way in this transformation. Contact us today for a custom digital strategy!