AI Search and SEO: How ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews Are Changing the Rules

Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity — more and more people look for answers directly through AI instead of a classic list of links. How to prepare and optimise your content so AI tools recommend you…

The last few years have changed the way people search for information online more than the whole previous decade. Google AI Overviews (formerly SGE) shows AI-generated answers right above the organic results. ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude increasingly replace classic search for informational questions. For business owners this means one thing: SEO has to adapt.

What has changed?

Classic SEO was about one thing: getting onto the first page of Google among the 10 blue links. Today there is a new layer — AI Overviews that summarise the answer right in the search results, often without the user having to click on any website. On top of that, more and more people — especially the younger generation — look for answers directly in ChatGPT or Perplexity instead of Google.

This trend is called AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) or GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) — optimising content not only for search engines but also for the AI models that draw their answers from your content.

How do AI models choose whom to recommend?

When generating an answer, AI models (including Google AI Overviews) draw on several sources and try to find the most relevant, most trustworthy and best-structured information. A similar principle applies as in classic SEO, but with an emphasis on:

• A clear content structure (headings, bullet points, definitions)
• Direct and concise answers to specific questions
• Authority and trustworthiness of the source (E-E-A-T — Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
• Structured data (Schema markup)
• Up-to-date content

5 steps to adapt your content for AI search

1. Write content that answers questions directly

AI models love question-and-answer content. If you write an article about the cost of Google Ads, give a specific answer right in the introduction, not after five paragraphs of preamble.

1. Use structured data (Schema markup)

FAQ schema, Article schema and HowTo schema help AI models understand the structure of your content and increase the chance that they cite you.

1. Build authority in your field

AI models prefer sources with proven expertise. Publish regularly, sign your articles and build your profile as an expert in your industry.

1. Optimise for specific, long search queries (long-tail)

In AI search people ask whole sentences, not just keywords. Adapt your content accordingly — write the way you would answer a customer's question in person.

1. Track how AI tools present you

Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity questions related to your field yourself. Find out whether these tools cite you (or your competitors) — and adjust your content strategy accordingly.

Does this mean the end of classic SEO?

No. Classic SEO principles — quality content, a fast website, trustworthiness — still apply in the AI era. The only difference is how the content is interpreted and to whom it is shown. Businesses that invest in quality, structured and trustworthy content today will be visible in Google and in AI tools at the same time.

Need to get your website ready for the AI era?

Get in touch at ambidesign.eu — I'll be happy to help.