AI Is Changing the Search Game—And That's Good News for Thought Leaders

Lately, while researching a topic or question, I've been catching myself doing something that would have seemed strange just a year ago—bypassing Google.

Instead of typing my query into the familiar search bar, I fire up Perplexity AI to research a complex business topic. Even more surprising? I get the same results faster with the oh-so-convenient summary of all the top links.

I'm not alone in this shift. More of us are turning to AI-powered search tools like Perplexity and now ChatGPT's Search for answers. Even Google itself is adapting—its first page now features AI Overviews.

Why? Because AI spoiled us. Now, no one wants to 'manually' browse all those first-page links anymore when you can have handy summaries that appear above the fold, pulling information from various sources across the web.

But beware. These summaries are not to be trusted 100%. Those of us who still check how this works and compare it with 'old-school' Google results know that while providing impressive overviews, AI search still appears unreliable in many cases. It can hallucinate, makeup things when it doesn't know the answer, and simply pull information from a source that is not credible.

Regardless of those risks, AI search is already in massive use. And this is just the start.

A Seismic Shift Ahead

According to the September 2024 search reports (sources: Exploding Topics and SEMrush), Google still reigns supreme with a little over 8.3 billion daily search queries and a 91.47 % global search market share.

Some resources mention that ChatGPT has 'only' 10 million searches daily (not bad for a tool users discovered only two years ago!). At the same time, Perplexity AI counts around 100 million weekly queries. I'm mentioning these numbers because they are all over the internet, but I don't trust them. When you dig deeper into the sources of these statistics, you don't find credible names, so I'm leaving them under a big question mark.

What is certain is that all of these numbers will change fast.

Gartner predicts traditional search engine volume will plummet 25% by 2026, and search marketing will lose significant market share to AI chatbots and virtual agents.

Is that good or bad? Well, both. As someone who's spent years optimizing content for Google, I feel this shift is both exciting and terrifying. It's exciting because it promises to simplify search—something I was personally looking forward to the most when AI tools were released. Scary because… Everything AI-related is unpredictable and slightly frightening despite all the excitement and opportunities it brings.

Many businesses are still stuck in the old SEO playbook, optimizing solely for Google's traditional algorithms. But that's like preparing for last year's game with outdated rules.

Companies maintaining this narrow focus will rank poorly in traditional search and risk becoming invisible in the new AI search landscape.

Go Broad as the Go-To Authority

The good news is that AI search is leveling the playing field. Recent research shows that AI Overviews consider a broader range of signals than traditional SEO.

For one, they look at your Google rankings and EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) signals. Secondly, they factor in mentions across different platforms, social media engagement, and the overall digital realm.

This brings me to my observation: The AI search revolution will actually increase the importance of building authority through expert-based, quality content. The reason is twofold:

1. Topical Authority

When you consistently produce expert content in one or two well-defined work areas, you're building topical authority. And it's not just about looking knowledgeable in front of your prospects and customers. You're also building authority for search engines by creating a web of interconnected signals that AI systems recognize and value.

Yes, you must include top-of-the-funnel keywords and other SEO tactics, but note that this shouldn't be about keyword stuffing or technical tricks—it's about demonstrating deep, practical knowledge that answers real questions from your audience.

2. Omnipresence

Another defining characteristic of thought leadership and authority building is omnipresence—being present across multiple platforms, online or offline. Think LinkedIn, industry media, company websites, podcasts, panels, videos, events, etc.

And it looks like AI really appreciates that because studies show they 'pick up' on brands and individuals found 'everywhere.' If your insights get cited, shared, and referenced across multiple platforms, AI is more likely to consider you a credible source.

The Future of Search

Everyone invests in AI search, from Google to OpenAI, Perplexity, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta. It's a big pie and everyone wants a cut.

Search as we know it is going to change, and one of the top challenges I'm seeing is credibility and trustworthy of the generated information. This challenge existed even before AI, and it’s now only getting more complex.

This is where you, as a business, need to respond with an authentic, trustworthy message. Industry experts predict that AI search will become increasingly sophisticated at distinguishing between generic, AI-generated content and genuine expert insights.

In other words, creating authentic thought leadership will be more valuable than ever. For businesses, this means rethinking their content strategy.

Instead of focusing solely on SEO keywords, investing in valuable thought leadership through multi-channel presence and expert collaborations is what gets the attention—of your audience, algorithms, and artificial intelligence.

Get in touch if you need support in defining a thought leadership strategy ready for the AI search era.