Google and AI: Revolutionizing SEO and Its Challenges

The Impact of AI on SEO and Online Search

For years, companies have heavily invested to secure a prime spot in Google search results. Traditional strategies relied on keyword optimization and link building. However, the emergence of artificial intelligences, such as ChatGPT and Claude, is disrupting these established practices.

Today, it is no longer enough to rank at the top of Google results. The challenge is to become a source that the AI chooses to cite. Internet users are increasingly asking their questions directly to AIs and receiving immediate answers, bypassing traditional links.

A study conducted by McKinsey reveals that already half of consumers are using AI-based search engines. By 2028, these tools could influence up to $750 billion in purchases. Companies must therefore reinvent their online presence, as old SEO methods are gradually losing their effectiveness.

Reinventing SEO in the Age of AI

The crucial question is what type of SEO to adopt in this new environment. With Google, SEO experts had clear benchmarks to improve visibility. In contrast, with AIs, the criteria for selecting sources remain vague and constantly evolve.

According to the Wall Street Journal, content must now be useful, clear, and rich in context. AIs favor well-structured and easily exploitable information. Formats such as FAQs, lists, or short summaries are particularly valued, as are detailed descriptions that precisely answer users' questions.

AIs do not limit themselves to traditional articles. They also explore forums, customer reviews, and platforms like Reddit and Quora. Discussions among internet users can significantly influence a company's online visibility and reputation. A study by Fospha indicates that exchanges on Reddit, for example, play a role in consumers' purchasing decisions.

Diversity of AIs and Multiple Strategies

Not all AIs operate in the same way. Some prioritize videos, others forums or specific formats. For instance, Gemini places particular importance on YouTube, while other tools rely more on online discussions. There is no longer a universal strategy; each platform imposes its own rules, often implicit.

Companies must accept that change is rapid. Whereas Google would occasionally modify its algorithms, AI models evolve much more frequently, sometimes every few weeks. An effective strategy today can become obsolete very quickly.

This complicates attempts at manipulation. Techniques that involved gaming the algorithms are becoming less reliable, as AI models are increasingly sophisticated and difficult to circumvent. This evolution also changes how success is measured. In the past, it was enough to look at one's position in results or the number of clicks. With AI, these indicators are losing their relevance.

The Risks of Manipulation and Their Consequences

Recent studies show that it is possible to manipulate AI, whether to gain an advantage or to harm competitors. In China, for example, GEO services are offered on platforms like Taobao or JD.com to enhance the visibility of brands' content and products.

These services involve continuously feeding AI models with a large volume of content. This data is then analyzed, indexed, and highlighted in results. However, some Chinese companies use this technique to disseminate misleading content that promotes their products. This practice was highlighted during the Consumer Rights Gala broadcast by CCTV.

This technique can also be used to tarnish the reputation of competitors, akin to Black Hat SEO practices.

Consequences for Users

AIs rely on vast amounts of data. If this data is unbalanced, incomplete, or biased, the responses provided will be as well. The user may receive information presented as neutral, while it actually reflects certain dominant viewpoints.

Manipulation is another concern. Some companies are already seeking to influence these systems by flooding the web with content favorable to their products. The AI, in analyzing this information, may then consider it reliable and promote it.

Users thus face biased recommendations, often without realizing it. This opens the door to a form of disguised advertising that is harder to detect.

Finally, there is the risk of losing diversity in sources. Unlike traditional search engines, AI synthesizes information into a single response. This limits access to different perspectives and reduces users' natural curiosity. Over time, users consult fewer sites, compare less, and become more dependent on a single interpretation of the world.