Businesses Fear SEO Loss from AI

Nearly 90% of businesses are concerned about losing online visibility as artificial intelligence reshapes the way people search for information, according to a new survey by Ann Smarty. The findings show that 85.7% of businesses are already investing or planning to invest in AI-driven SEO strategies, while over 61% expect to increase their SEO budgets to stay competitive in the evolving digital landscape.

The rapid shift from traditional search results to AI-generated answers is pushing companies to rethink how they attract and engage customers online. Many marketers believe that AI is fundamentally changing the customer journey, creating both challenges and opportunities for visibility and brand growth.

According to the report, 87.8% of respondents expressed concern about their online discoverability in an AI-dominated search environment. To adapt, nearly half of businesses (49%) prefer using the term “SEO for AI,” while 41% have adopted “Generative Engine Optimisation” (GEO) as part of their evolving digital strategies.

Brand visibility has become the primary focus for many businesses navigating this new landscape. Around three-quarters (75.5%) said that being visible in AI-generated responses is their top priority, even when their websites aren’t directly linked. In contrast, only 14.3% prioritised being cited as a source that drives traffic, while a small proportion of respondents said they wanted both visibility and attribution.

The biggest concern among marketers was the risk of their businesses becoming harder to find online. This was followed by fears of losing organic search traffic and clear attribution for leads or sales. These anxieties reflect a broader industry trend where the value of traditional SEO is being questioned as AI-driven search tools dominate.

Ann Smarty’s survey involved over 300 in-house marketers and business owners, mainly from medium to large enterprises. Nearly half of the participants represented e-commerce brands, a sector particularly reliant on search visibility for sales and brand growth.

Despite the uncertainty, the majority of respondents are not waiting for AI to fully take over search. Instead, they are taking proactive measures by adapting their SEO strategies to align with the growing influence of generative AI models and large language models (LLMs).

The research suggests that businesses view AI not just as a threat but also as an opportunity to redefine how they connect with customers. By incorporating AI into their SEO efforts, companies hope to maintain relevance, reach, and authority in a shifting digital landscape.

However, experts caution that AI-generated traffic doesn’t yet perform as effectively as traditional search referrals. Studies indicate that conversions from AI tools such as ChatGPT are still lower compared to Google Search, and analysts predict that AI systems are unlikely to match organic search performance within the next year.

Even so, most brands are preparing for long-term adaptation. Many are testing new optimisation techniques to ensure their content appears in AI-driven search results, particularly as voice search and conversational queries become more prominent.

Industry specialists suggest that “SEO for AI” may soon become a standard marketing discipline, focusing on optimising for visibility within AI assistants and generative engines rather than conventional search rankings.

While AI has created uncertainty, it has also reignited innovation in the SEO industry. Marketers are experimenting with structured data, contextual relevance, and conversational tone to appeal to AI algorithms that summarise rather than list information.

Some experts believe this transformation mirrors the early days of mobile and voice search, where initial disruption eventually led to new marketing opportunities and improved customer experiences.

For now, most businesses appear to be taking a cautious but active stance. They are investing in AI-friendly optimisation while keeping an eye on results, waiting to see whether generative search can deliver the same return on investment as traditional SEO.

The shift to AI-driven discovery is undoubtedly reshaping how brands approach visibility. Whether this change proves to be a challenge or an opportunity will depend on how well businesses adapt to this new era of search.