Artificial Intelligence is fundamentally reshaping how people communicate, verify information, and discover businesses. In the Marketing in the Age of AI webinar, Callum Macrae explored how tools such as ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and other generative search engines are rapidly replacing traditional search — and what this shift means for your visibility, credibility, and customer acquisition.
Below is a deep-dive article capturing the essential insights.
The Search Revolution: From SEO to Generative Search
For nearly two decades, search engine optimisation (SEO) has been the foundation of digital visibility. Ranking on Google’s Page 1 has long been the gold standard. But as Callum explained, the search landscape has changed more in the last 18 months than in the previous 15 years combined.
Traditional SEO relies on:
- Keyword targeting
- Backlinks
- Domain authority
- Website health and technical optimisation
These remain important — but they are no longer the primary way users find information.
The Rise of Conversational, Generative Search (GEO/AEO)
Users are no longer typing short keyword phrases such as “accountant near me.”
They’re asking AI:
- “Who are the most trusted accountants in my area?”
- “Which software providers are most recommended for SMEs?”
- “What’s the best restaurant in Birmingham and why?”
This shift from keyword-based intent to conversational intent is what Callum calls Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) — also known as AI Engine Optimisation (AEO). It is optimisation for AI platforms, not search engines.
When someone searches on ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or even Google’s own AI Overviews, users no longer receive a list of 10 links — they are given a direct answer, typically a shortlist of 3–5 recommendations.
AI decides these recommendations using a combination of:
- Fresh, relevant content
- Recent and high-quality reviews
- Authority signals like awards, accreditations, and media mentions
- Clear, trustworthy summaries of services
This means visibility is no longer about ranking; it's about being recommended.
Zero-Click Traffic Is the New Normal
One of Callum’s most striking points was how AI is impacting organic search behaviour:
- Almost 50% of Google searches now include an AI Overview.
- 60% of searches end without a user clicking through to another site.
- Businesses are seeing 15–25% drops in organic traffic, even when nothing is “wrong” with their SEO.
This isn’t a decline in interest — it’s a shift in behaviour.
Users now read the AI summary, make their evaluation, and return later as direct website visitors, skipping the research stage that used to generate multiple organic clicks.
Macrae notes that while traffic is falling, conversions are rising, because AI-driven users arrive more ready to take action.
Why Consumers Are Moving to ChatGPT for Discovery
Recent Adobe research quoted in the webinar shows:
- 77% of ChatGPT users treat it as a search engine.
- 24% go to ChatGPT first, with Gen Z leading at 28%.
- 36% have discovered a new product or brand via ChatGPT (47% for Gen Z, 37% for Millennials).
Combine this with the fact that nearly 40% of Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine, and Callum notes that 68% of Gen Z now turn to non-traditional search tools before Google.
This shift is not future-tense — it is happening now.
How to Appear in AI Search Results
Callum outlines three core factors that determine whether an AI engine will recommend your business:
1. Regular, Fresh, High-Quality Content
Outdated blogs from 2019 won’t help you appear in ChatGPT searches. AI prioritises:
- Frequent publishing
- Content that answers specific questions
- Pages featuring FAQ sections (AI loves these — they map directly to conversational queries)
2. Reviews — Volume, Quality, and Recency
Reviews are now a critical ranking factor in generative search.
AI tools scrape Google Reviews, Trustpilot, and sector-specific platforms.
Callum shared examples of businesses with 5-star averages but no reviews for three years, making them appear irrelevant or inactive to AI systems.
3. Trust Signals: Awards, Accreditations & Mentions
AI prioritises businesses that appear reputable and externally validated:
- Industry awards and nominations
- Media mentions
- Professional accreditations
Even being shortlisted for an award helps — AI recognises it as third-party validation.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
Callum highlights several urgent trends:
- By 2026, traditional search is expected to drop by 25%.
- Over 50% of search traffic will shift to AI platforms.
- ChatGPT’s weekly active users have grown from 350 million to 800 million in 3 months.
The takeaway is clear:
AI Search is not a trend — it is becoming the dominant search behaviour.
Will AI Replace SEO Entirely?
No — but it changes its role.
SEO remains the bedrock:
AI tools still crawl websites, evaluate domain authority, and assess structure.
But GEO/AEO builds on SEO, adding a new layer:
- Not “How do I rank on Google?”
- But “How do I become the top recommendation in AI-generated answers?”
The two now work together, not separately.
The Urgent Shift for Businesses, Teams & Leaders
AI search is changing what it means to be:
- Visible
- Credible
- Discoverable
- Trusted
More than ever, companies must treat visibility as:
- A reputation strategy
- A content strategy
- A review strategy
- A credibility strategy
Those who adapt early will dominate generative search results.
Those who don’t may disappear from the digital landscape — even if they’ve ranked well for years.
Final Takeaway: AI Is Now the Front Door to Your Business
As Callum reinforced, with 800 million people using ChatGPT weekly and most using it for search, the shift is already here.
Your future customers won’t ask Google.
They’ll ask AI — and AI will choose for them.
To stay discoverable, businesses must:
- Publish fresh, FAQ-driven content
- Generate consistent customer reviews
- Build external trust signals
- Understand conversational search behaviour
- Optimise for AI Overviews, not just Google
The brands that embrace this new reality will be the ones who remain visible, relevant, and competitive in the AI-driven decade ahead.
FAQ: How AI Is Transforming Search and Discovery
1. What is changing about the search landscape?
AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Gemini, and Claude are replacing traditional keyword-based search with conversational, generative search. Instead of receiving a list of links, users now get direct answers and recommendations, often reducing the need to click through to websites.
2. What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimisation — also known as AI Engine Optimisation (AEO) — refers to the process of optimising your visibility within AI-generated responses, not just on Google’s search results. GEO focuses on trust, relevance, and conversational user intent, rather than just keywords and backlinks.
3. Is SEO still important?
Yes. SEO remains the foundation of digital visibility. AI tools still crawl websites and analyse technical structure, domain authority, and content. However, GEO adds a new layer of optimisation aimed at appearing in AI answers and recommendations.
4. How do AI tools decide which businesses to recommend?
AI platforms evaluate multiple signals, including:
- Fresh, relevant content
- FAQ-style sections that mirror conversational queries
- Recent, high-quality customer reviews
- Media mentions, awards, accreditations, and citations
- Overall online authority and trust indicators
5. Why is organic website traffic dropping?
Because of the rise of zero-click search:
- Nearly 50% of Google searches now include an AI Overview.
- Around 60% of users complete searches without clicking a link.
Users read AI summaries, evaluate recommendations, and only visit a website later when ready to take action.
6. How is AI impacting conversions?
Although traffic is declining, conversions are increasing. AI users often arrive as direct visitors with clear intent, skipping the research phase that previously generated multiple organic clicks.
7. Are younger audiences using AI instead of Google?
Yes. Research shows:
- 77% of ChatGPT users treat it as a search engine.
- 24% of users go to ChatGPT first, with Gen Z at 28%.
- Nearly 40% of Gen Z use TikTok as a search engine.
Combined, 68% of Gen Z now rely on non-traditional search platforms before Google.
8. How can my business appear in ChatGPT or other AI search engines?
Focus on three key areas:
1. Fresh, High-Quality Content
- Publish regularly
- Include FAQ sections on articles
- Address real questions customers ask
2. Consistent Customer Reviews
- Prioritise frequency and recency
- Use multiple platforms (Google, Trustpilot, etc.)
- Create processes to ask for reviews at natural milestones
3. Trust & Credibility Signals
- Awards and nominations
- Accreditations
- Media features
- Third-party citations
9. Do older blog posts still help with AI search?
Not significantly. AI prioritises new, updated, and relevant content. Blogs from 2018–2020 won’t meaningfully improve your visibility unless refreshed and modernised.
10. Does generative AI penalise AI-written content?
Google has started deranking content that contains obvious AI markers (such as Americanisms, em dashes, and repetitive phrasing). AI tools are fine for drafting, but require human editing to maintain authenticity, tone, and SEO value.
11. What types of queries are users making on ChatGPT?
According to the study referenced in the webinar, users search for:
- Work-related tasks
- Fact checking
- Product research
- Professional services and business recommendations
- Financial and investing advice
This shows AI is being used for decision-making, not just information gathering.
12. Will AI replace human decision-making in search?
AI will not replace humans — but it will act as a powerful filter. Users trust AI to shortlist options, evaluate trustworthiness, and summarise information before making their own decisions.
13. What does my business need to do right now?
Macrae emphasises four immediate priorities:
- Publish fresh, helpful, authoritative content
- Modernise your review strategy
- Invest in external trust signals (awards, accreditations, PR)
- Understand conversational search behaviour
These actions directly influence whether AI platforms include you in their top recommendations.
14. What percentage of search is predicted to move to AI platforms?
By 2026:
- Traditional search will decline by 25%
- Over 50% of search traffic is expected to move to AI-based platforms
This shift is accelerating month by month.
15. Is appearing in AI search results quick or easy?
No. Like SEO, GEO is a long-term investment. It takes consistent publishing, review building, and trust development. It is not a quick fix, but businesses that start now will have a decisive advantage as AI search continues to grow.
The contents of this article are meant as a guide only and are not a substitute for professional advice. The author/s accept no responsibility for any action taken, or refrained from, as a result of the material contained in this document. Specific advice should be obtained before acting or refraining from acting, in connection with the matters dealt with in this article. The information at the time of publishing was accurate and could be subject to final changes.
