Google’s AI Mode is officially here.
In response to the release of AI Mode, brand managers and SEO teams have been asking the same question: what does this mean for my website? How do we proactively prepare for generative AI search?
Below, we break down what Google’s AI Mode is, how it changes the search experience, and how to adapt your SEO strategy for long-term success.
What Is Google’s AI Mode?
Google’s AI Mode launched on May 25. It’s a fully generative experience powered by Gemini, designed to assist users at every stage of the marketing funnel. The experience combines conversational AI, shopping features, and traditional search results in one interface.
Although AI Mode uses the same AI-generated summary format as AI Overviews, there are a few key differences. First, AI Mode appears for every query, while AI Overviews are only shown selectively. Users are able to obtain AI-generated summaries for any keyword, not just the informational keywords we have traditionally seen favored with AI Overviews.
Additionally, AI Mode incorporates personal data, pulling information from tools like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Maps to personalize results. It also features shopping cards from Google Merchant Center, making the experience more tailored to purchase-intent searches.
Because AI Mode is designed with a conversion-focused audience in mind, its impact will extend beyond informational searches to include high-intent, commercial queries as well, changing the typical generative search experience we have seen on Google.
How AI Mode Changes the Search Experience
AI Mode will have substantial impacts on the search experience in Google. For one, AI-generated summaries continue to dominate the top of the results page. Traditional blue links are still there, but they are often pushed below the fold and are less prominent.
We are also finding that Google is increasingly prioritizing semantic understanding over exact keyword matches. Results are no longer ordered by simple keyword matches. Instead, the system uses semantic understanding to determine which content is most relevant based on intent, context, and user preferences, not direct keyword targeting.
Additionally, even if your content helps inform Google’s AI-generated summary, there’s no guarantee it will be cited. Google’s AI Mode synthesizes responses using multiple sources. Sometimes, your content may be used to inform a response without your website being linked or credited directly.
For example, we ran a query in AI Mode asking, “Does AI Mode cite all of the websites used to generate responses?” The tool indicated that it reviewed around 49 websites to inform the answer:
However, only 7 websites were cited in the actual response:
While not every reviewed site may have directly influenced the final output, it’s likely that more than 7 contributed to the response in some way. Additionally, web pages used in training the AI model are not cited at all. This creates challenges for measuring content visibility, impact, and proper attribution.
What This Means for SEO
Google’s AI Mode signals a major shift in how content is surfaced and ranked. For one, success now depends on how well your content aligns with broader topic clusters and user intent, not just how often you mention a specific keyword. To score greater AI visibility, you need to build authoritative, unique content that goes beyond traditional keyword-rich blog articles.
We are also seeing that the personalization of AI Mode results may lead to tracking inconsistencies. Because Google pulls in personal signals like email activity, location, and history, results are customized for each user. This means your site might not appear for the same keyword consistently across different users, making rank tracking less reliable.
It also means that sites could see a greater share of their informational traffic turn into zero-click searches, where users are getting the information they need right in Google’s results.
While these are the immediate impacts we’re seeing, we also have some predictions on how AI Mode will impact search in the near future.
Our Predictions
Google has said it will gradually fold AI Mode features into the default Google search experience. We believe traditional search may be fully replaced by AI Mode by the end of 2026.
For ecommerce brands, well-optimized Shop pages that signal trust and authority may receive better visibility in AI Mode. The AI algorithm prioritizes pages that help users quickly find the exact products they’re looking for.
We also expect AI Mode to favor brands that are featured across multiple high-authority listicles. If the AI sees your brand mentioned often, it is more likely to include you in its generated summaries for commercial-intent queries.
Finally, brand data from Google Business Profiles, Maps, reviews, and Merchant Center will play a bigger role in visibility. Keeping these profiles accurate and up to date will be essential.
5 Tips to Future-Proof Your SEO Strategy for AI Mode
1. Focus on Semantic Relevance
Think like Gemini. What topics or ideas are closely related to your main query? Build content that answers related questions and ideas across a complete topic cluster. Topic clusters help organize your content around user intent, not just individual keywords, which is essential as Google moves toward semantic search.
This structure not only makes your site easier to navigate, but also signals to Google that your content offers depth and expertise on the subject. Over time, this can improve rankings, increase engagement, and drive more conversions. For example, an online plant store might create a topic cluster around “tropical plants,” with supporting content on types of tropical plants, tropical plant care, and tropical plant accessories, all internally linked to a main acne guide. For more on how to build topic cluster content, read our comprehensive guide.
2. Create Content That AI Wants to Use & Users Want to Explore
Your content should stand out from the rest of the SERP. Prioritize:
- Original research: Offer new data or perspectives that can’t be found anywhere else.
- Expert commentary: Utilize insights from internal subject matter experts, like leadership team members or specialists, to boost the authority of your content.
- Real-world case studies: Demonstrate practical applications or proven outcomes to support your content.
- Proprietary insights: Leverage your brand’s unique position, internal data, or customer trends to share perspectives that competitors can’t easily replicate.
AI Mode prefers content that adds value, not rehashes existing information. At the same time, users are more likely to trust and engage with content that feels authoritative, credible, and useful.
3. Build Topical Authority
Showcase your expertise. Include author bylines and credentials, and make sure your content builds trust with both users and search engines. Use semantic markup and structured data to clearly signal relevance and authority to Google.
4. Diversify Your Discovery Channels
As AI Mode captures more traffic from top-of-funnel queries, don’t rely solely on organic search for top-funnel traffic acquisition.
Expand your reach with:
- Video: Turn educational or how-to content into engaging visual formats, and share it across social platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, as well as video platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
- Social content: Repurpose blog content, data points, and expert insights into bite-sized formats tailored for each platform. Consider aligning posts with trending conversations or industry updates to boost visibility in users’ feeds.
- Email newsletters: Segment your audience by funnel stage and send targeted top-of-funnel content designed to educate, engage, and nurture early-stage users.
- Partner mentions and PR: Partner with industry experts and voices to boost brand visibility.
Pro tip: Recycle blog posts that have lost organic visibility due to AI Overviews or AI Mode by converting them into other formats – think videos, social posts, or newsletter content – to maintain reach and engagement.
5. Update Your SEO KPIs
Even if your content is used in an AI summary, you may not see a click. Instead of focusing only on CTR and rankings, consider alternative success metrics:
- Brand mentions
- Sentiment and reputation
- Engagement metrics
- On-site conversions
These metrics will give a better understanding of how your site is performing beyond clicks and rankings.
Conclusion
Google’s AI Mode is more than a new feature. It’s a redesign of the search experience itself.
SEO strategies that rely on exact-match keywords or surface-level content will become less effective. Success will depend on your ability to demonstrate authority, relevance, and trust across every platform.
The brands that adapt now will be the ones still visible when AI becomes the default.
