AI Search Is Not Just Hype — It’s Redefining the Rules of SEO
There’s a heated debate rippling through the SEO world: is AI-driven search a bubble that will soon burst, or the next irreversible evolution of how people discover information online? After dozens of private conversations with SEO professionals, one thing is clear — the impact of AI depends heavily on what kind of business you run. While some industries are seeing their clicks evaporate overnight, others are adapting and discovering new channels of value. But here's where it gets interesting — the experts who’ve been through decades of digital disruption say this isn’t the end. It’s a transformation.
The Veteran’s Perspective: 30 Years of Search Evolution
Meet Carolyn Shelby — a pioneer who co-founded an ISP in 1994 and has spent three decades working with companies like Disney, ESPN, and Tribune Publishing. With a career that’s seen the rise and fall of countless internet fads, she’s uniquely qualified to answer the big question: is AI search overhyped?
Carolyn doesn’t think so. In her view, focusing on even 1% of a huge market share is a smart play. She argues that technical accessibility is where SEOs should be focusing right now and warns that ignoring AI-powered search is a serious mistake. Her reasoning? Google itself appears to be deliberately pacing its own progress — not because it can’t move faster, but because strategically, it might benefit from holding back.
The Collapse of the “Blogging-for-AdSense” Economy
Here’s a tough pill to swallow — the old “blog-for-pageviews” business model is dying. AI and large language models (LLMs) are fundamentally shifting how people find content and how publishers monetize traffic. The fallout is most visible among traditional bloggers and AdSense-revenue-driven websites.
As Carolyn explains, churning out low-value articles plastered with ads is no longer sustainable. Passion-driven creators will keep publishing for love, not income, but for those trying to pay their bills through content farms, the math no longer works. The money is migrating to where audiences are most engaged — platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and video-first outlets.
And this isn’t a short-term adjustment. It’s a full-blown reordering of how digital value is created, captured, and distributed. TikTok’s ecosystem, in particular, shows signs of being resilient — even thriving — amid the AI search disruption. Many SEOs now see platforms like TikTok as fertile ground for niche growth and fresh discovery opportunities.
1% of a Trillion: Why Small Numbers Matter
During a recent podcast, Carolyn highlighted that less than 1% of all search traffic currently comes from AI platforms. At first glance, that sounds negligible — until you realize that 1% of a trillion is still 10 billion. That’s not scraps; that’s a goldmine waiting to be tapped.
“If you told me I could capture that 1%, I’d go all in,” Carolyn said. Her point? Even a sliver of a massive global search market can generate serious traffic and revenue. It’s often more rewarding to dominate a smaller, high-intent segment than to fight endlessly on saturated platforms like Google.
Just as many marketers have found value in optimizing for Bing due to its lower competition and stronger conversion rates, the same principle applies to AI search platforms. “It’s not about having everyone,” Carolyn explained. “It’s about having the right ones — the people who actually convert.”
Google’s Strategic Slowdown: A Calculated Game
Could Google quickly accelerate its AI rollout and dominate this new search landscape? Probably. But Carolyn suggests there’s a reason it isn’t rushing. With multiple antitrust cases pending, Google must demonstrate it’s not a monopolistic force controlling every aspect of search. By loosely letting competitors grow, it can argue that the market remains open.
Think of it like tapping the brakes when you see a police car — once the coast is clear, you accelerate again. “They need to prove they don’t have total control,” Carolyn explained. “So they’re temporarily allowing competition to exist.”
She also notes that Google’s biggest advantage remains its Chrome browser data. The behavioral insights collected there are the fuel behind its algorithms and product decisions. If regulators ever force Google to separate or sell Chrome, it could dramatically shift the competitive balance. “Take away Chrome data,” Carolyn warned, “and you take the gas out of their engine.”
AI Mode Is Here — And It’s Not Going Anywhere
So what about Google’s AI-generated search experience? Carolyn believes it’s permanent. “They’re not rolling it back,” she said. “They’ll keep refining it until users naturally adjust.” Right now, most people still feel awkward asking Google flexible, conversational questions like they would on ChatGPT — but behavioral adaptation takes time.
Google, Carolyn argues, has always reinvented user habits through repeated iteration. Its long-term goal has been clear for years: to evolve from a search engine into a true personal assistant. With AI, that dream is finally within reach. “Staying static while everyone else innovates with AI would be ridiculous,” she insisted. “There’s too much built infrastructure. It’s time to learn how to operate in this new environment.”
What SEOs Should Be Focusing On Right Now
When asked where SEOs should direct their attention today, Carolyn’s answer was precise: nail the technical fundamentals — not just for Google, but for LLMs too.
Your site must be machine-accessible. In plain terms, can an AI crawler retrieve your key content? Does your layout hide critical information behind tabs or toggles that robots can’t see? Every LLM parses websites differently. For instance, some platforms only capture what’s visible on the first page load — missing hidden or dynamically-loaded content entirely.
“Your job,” Carolyn explained, “is to make sure that what’s being read is what matters. If it’s hidden, unhide it.” That’s not just old-school SEO — that’s the foundation for survival in the new AI-driven search reality.
The Future Belongs to Strategic Adapters
Let’s make this clear: calling AI ‘hype’ misses the point. It’s a paradigm shift, one that demands discipline and creativity. The businesses that thrive will be those that understand the new digital ecosystems — how machines read, rank, and relay content.
“If you ignore AI and LLM opportunities,” Carolyn warned, “you’re doing yourself a disservice.”
The winners of this new era will be the professionals who recognize that 1% of a trillion is worth fighting for; who ensure their content is accessible to every intelligent system out there; and who bring true marketing strategy back into the SEO conversation.
So the question is — will you adapt or be left behind? Do you believe Google’s playing fair with its slowdown, or is it all part of a bigger move to tighten control once again? Share your thoughts — the debate is just beginning.
