AI and SEO: The New Rules for Brands

The Impact of AI Summaries on User Behavior

In March 2025, the Pew Research Center conducted an in-depth study of 68,879 Google searches, revealing a major shift in how users discover brands. Discovery no longer necessarily involves clicking on a link, but rather through responses generated by artificial intelligence (AI). The study shows that when these AI summaries appear, only 8% of users choose to click on a traditional link. In contrast, in the absence of these summaries, the number of users clicking on links nearly doubles.

Another striking aspect of this study is that 25% of internet users leave the page without clicking anywhere after reading an AI-generated overview. This demonstrates that information is often consumed directly, without going through traditional websites. Several other studies corroborate this trend, indicating a fundamental change in online information consumption.

A Fundamental Trend

Internet users are seeking more information than ever, but they are clicking on links less frequently. BrightEdge observed a 49% increase in impressions on Google following the introduction of AI-generated previews, while the click-through rate dropped by nearly 30%. An analysis by Seer Interactive, covering millions of impressions, shows an even more pronounced decline for queries that include these summaries. The organic click-through rate fell from 1.76% to 0.61%, and even paid clicks saw a significant decrease.

This trend is not limited to searches with AI summaries. Even searches without these summaries are seeing their click-through rates decline, indicating that users are viewing more content but interacting less with links. As early as 2024, Gartner had predicted a significant decline in traditional searches by 2026, and while the exact figures may vary, the direction is clear.

Search is becoming increasingly conversational, synthetic, and frictionless. In this context, brands need to rethink their strategy. It is no longer just about appearing in search results but being integrated into AI-generated previews.

Enter AEO and GEO

To adapt to these changes, two new approaches are emerging: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). AEO involves structuring content in a way that can be directly utilized by AI. This means using precise formats, such as question-based headings, short and direct answers, and well-tagged structured data.

The goal of AEO is to become the source that AI will cite when a user asks a specific question. This targeted approach aims to capture attention at the exact moment a response is expected. In contrast, GEO goes further. It is not just about answering a question but becoming a global reference within an information ecosystem.

Generative AIs, like those used by Perplexity AI or Gemini, rely on systems capable of cross-referencing multiple sources. In this model, your site is just one piece of the puzzle. A study by McKinsey shows that only 5 to 10% of the sources used by these AIs come directly from brand websites. The rest comes from articles, user reviews, forums, or third-party platforms. In other words, your online reputation becomes as important as your official content.

Another survey conducted by BrightEdge indicates that 89% of the sources cited in AI summaries come from pages ranked beyond the 100th position on Google. Traditional ranking is thus losing its influence, giving way to the structural quality of content and the overall credibility of the brand.

How Should Your Brand Respond?

To adapt to this new environment, brands must analyze their current presence in AI-generated results, understand which sources are being used in their place, and adjust their content accordingly. Brands cited in AI-generated responses enjoy a measurable advantage. The study by Seer Interactive shows that they receive 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks compared to those that are absent.

A Conductor study reported by MarTech in February 2026 reveals that 32% of marketing leaders are prioritizing GEO as their main focus. Even better, 97% are already seeing positive results. On average, 12% of digital budgets for 2025 have been allocated to these strategies. The most advanced organizations are investing nearly twice as much as others in GEO, a gap that is likely to become difficult to bridge as standards stabilize.

Moreover, 44% of consumers already prefer using AI tools as their primary source of information, according to McKinsey. That said, it is crucial to understand that the challenge lies in intelligently combining AEO and GEO, structuring content while enhancing overall credibility. If your brand does not appear in these responses, it could very well disappear from the purchasing journey.