Google: AI Won’t Replace SEO

Here’s a rewritten, longer and more naturally divided version in British English, split into several paragraphs to avoid looking copied:

Google’s John Mueller has recently shared his views on the topic of whether artificial intelligence might completely remove the need for search engine optimisation. His comments shed light on why websites continue to play an essential role, even as AI chatbots become more sophisticated.

During a discussion with Martin Splitt, Mueller tackled the growing question in digital marketing circles about whether advances in AI could one day replace SEO altogether. He offered a balanced perspective rooted in the practical realities of how the internet functions today.

Mueller acknowledged that AI has made huge strides and that tools like chatbots can help users find information quickly. However, he made it clear that this doesn’t mean websites or SEO practices will become irrelevant any time soon.

He explained that the web ecosystem relies heavily on websites sharing information, products and services directly with users. AI systems themselves also depend on this wealth of web content to provide accurate and useful answers.

Without optimised websites offering detailed and reliable information, AI chatbots would have little material to draw from. Mueller pointed out that this underlying structure of the internet still requires site owners to organise, improve and present their content well.

Splitt and Mueller also discussed the idea that while AI might simplify some parts of search, it can’t replace the value of thoughtful content that’s tailored to what real users are looking for.

They agreed that website owners still need to understand user intent, build trust, and ensure their content meets the needs of their target audience. SEO remains a vital way of achieving this by helping websites become more discoverable.

Mueller concluded by saying that while AI is becoming increasingly useful, it works best alongside good SEO rather than instead of it. In his view, AI can enhance search but won’t erase the need for carefully planned and optimised web content.

This conversation highlights an important reminder for anyone working in digital marketing: AI tools can support and speed up processes, but they can’t fully replace human insight and strategic thinking.

For now, and for the foreseeable future, SEO continues to be an essential part of making websites successful and ensuring they provide value to users.

Mueller’s comments reinforce that, despite rapid technological change, the fundamentals of quality content and user-focused optimisation still hold strong.

Context Of Discussion

The conversation focused on the essential SEO knowledge that businesses should be aware of when building or improving their online presence. It highlighted how understanding the basics is important, but it can also help to bring in professional support.

During the discussion, John Mueller suggested that businesses might benefit from hiring an SEO expert. This isn’t just about technical adjustments but about having someone who can guide the site’s development and optimisation journey.

Mueller explained that an SEO professional can act as a partner, helping to track and communicate what’s been done and what the impact might be over time. This ensures businesses aren’t left guessing about the results of their SEO efforts.

He noted:
“…you also need someone like an SEO as a partner to give you updates along the way and say, ‘Okay, we did all of these things,’ and they can list them out and tell you exactly what they did, ‘These things are going to take a while, and I can show you when Google crawls, we can follow along to see like what is happening there.’”

This approach not only helps maintain transparency but also supports better decision-making, as businesses can see how their site is performing in search and what steps are planned next.

By involving an SEO professional, businesses can have ongoing guidance, ensuring their strategy stays aligned with their goals and adapts to any changes in the digital landscape.

In short, SEO isn’t just a one-off task – it’s an ongoing process, and having an expert on hand can make navigating that journey much clearer and more effective.

Is There Value In Learning SEO?

At this stage of the conversation, Martin Splitt raised an interesting question about the role of generative AI in SEO. He wondered if learning SEO would soon become unnecessary, given that AI tools and chatbots can quickly provide answers to almost anything a business owner might ask.

Splitt’s exact question was:

“Okay, I think that’s pretty good. Last but not least, with generative AI and chatbot AI things happening. Do you think there’s still a value in learning these kind of things? Or can I just enter a prompt and it’ll figure things out for me?”

In response, John Mueller offered a balanced and realistic perspective rooted in how things work today. Rather than speculate too far into the future, he explained why knowing SEO and building a good website still very much matters.

Mueller made the point that as long as websites exist, there will be a need to understand SEO. He highlighted that search engines and chatbots both rely on the content and information found on websites to provide answers.

He used practical examples to illustrate his point, saying that local businesses and ecommerce sites must still be found by potential customers. Whether people discover them via search engines or AI chatbots, the websites themselves remain the foundation of their online visibility.

Mueller explained:

“Absolutely value in learning these things and in making a good website. I think there are lots of things that all of these chatbots and other ways to get information, they don’t replace a website, especially for local search and ecommerce.

So, especially if you’re a local business, maybe it’s fine if a chatbot mentions your business name and tells people how to get there. Maybe that’s perfectly fine, but oftentimes, they do that based on web content that they found.”

He went on to emphasise that having a website is what makes a business or service visible across all digital channels. Beyond simply being found, websites also provide functionality—such as selling products, offering subscriptions, or sharing information in depth—that chatbots alone can’t replicate.

As he put it:

“If you want a t-shirt, you don’t want a description of how to make your own t-shirt. You want a link to a store where it’s like, ‘Oh, here’s t-shirt designs,’ maybe t-shirt designs in that specific style that you like, but you go to this website and buy those t-shirts there.”

Martin Splitt agreed that this explanation made a lot of sense. They shared a light-hearted moment, joking about whether AI might one day take over Mueller’s job entirely.

Splitt asked:

“Okay. That’s very fair. Yeah, that makes sense. Okay, so you think AI is not going to take it all away from us?”

Mueller responded with humour but also a touch of realism:

“Well, we’ll see. I can’t make any promises. I think, at some point, I would like to retire, and then maybe AI takes over my work then. But, like, there’s lots of stuff to be done until then. There are lots of things that I imagine AI is not going to just replace.”

In the end, the conversation reinforced the idea that while AI is becoming an incredibly helpful tool, it doesn’t replace the fundamentals of building a solid, user-focused website—and it won’t remove the need to understand SEO any time soon.