The Impact of AI on Search Engines and Beyond: What Can We Say About It in the Current Reality

The rapid development of artificial intelligence is causing increasing concern among people whose work is closely related to internet technologies, and beyond, about their jobs and future. According to statistics, in the last month alone, American companies laid off 65,000 employees, citing the introduction of AI into work processes as one of the main reasons. Sociological surveys confirm that this situation will continue to worsen. Specifically, it's noted that over 4% of companies worldwide plan to cut staff by 2030 due to automation. Services like Duolingo and Dropbox have already openly stated that these layoffs are due to AI: specially trained neural networks are taking over routine tasks.

This trend is particularly worrying for digital professionals. The market is already rife with modern tools that can create text, images, and videos, post to social media, customize ads, and even analyze results. As a result, many marketers, designers, copywriters, and webmasters in general risk being left without work: AI makes their work much faster and cheaper.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai recently responded to such concerns. He explained how these changes are impacting the web and fit into what he calls "the next stage of search." Pichai emphasized that AI will help solve more complex user queries, making search smarter and more useful. His words were voiced in an interview on Lex Friedman's podcast, where he also noted that Google search will change significantly in the foreseeable future, introducing new features that will surprise everyone. In his view, this isn't a threat to websites, but rather an opportunity for them to adapt and remain visible in a new format where AI generates reviews and answers based on internet data.

In today's review, we'll delve into all these nuances in more detail, highlight the role of artificial intelligence in the modern web ecosystem, and discuss its future in search. We'll explore the role AI can play in providing deep context and in advertising. We'll also discuss whether AI-powered search will replace traditional search. We'll also highlight categories of digital professionals who may face challenges in their work due to the active implementation of AI technologies. We'll highlight a number of shortcomings characteristic of modern neural networks and offer advice on how to withstand this challenge and make AI tools your friend, not your competitor, in the labor market. The Modern Web Ecosystem and the Role of AI in Search The development of artificial intelligence in search engines raises questions about the balance between automated responses and traditional web resources created by humans. Active discussions among specialists today emphasize that supporting the entire web ecosystem remains a priority, as human content ensures the depth and reliability of information. It's also noted that AI search shouldn't completely replace original websites, but rather direct users to them for further exploration.

The core principle of developing such systems is maintaining a connection to the internet and original sources. This improves the quality of recommendations: users are more likely to find what they need, express curiosity, and better satisfy their queries. Google's internal data confirms increased engagement when AI serves as an initial overview, while web pages are used for deeper, more comprehensive analysis. This combination makes search more efficient, combining the speed of automation with the richness of human creativity.

However, there are many concerns among content creators, especially in journalism and news. This is understandable and logical: automation truly poses a serious threat to many professionals. However, Google representatives maintain that news and quality journalism will remain key to the future of the internet. Algorithm development will prioritize them to ensure the harmonious evolution of the web ecosystem. Here, AI acts not as a competitor, but as a tool to enhance search, while human resources remain the foundation for reliable information. This will allow the internet to become more accessible and useful, adapting to new technologies without losing its essence.

Artificial Intelligence as the Next Chapter of Search

The development of artificial intelligence in search engines is ushering in a new era, where automated responses are becoming an integral part of everyday information searches. AI usage in these technologies is currently demonstrating impressive results, highlighting its role as an inevitable element of the future. It's important to understand and strive to understand that we're not talking about a temporary trend, but rather a fundamental transformation that is changing the fundamental way users interact with the internet, making search faster and more personalized.

The evolution of search technologies never stops. They are constantly evolving, adapting to new challenges and user needs. Some of the most notable changes have been past algorithm updates:

• Florida tightened its anti-link manipulation laws in 2004;
• Penguin cracked down on low-quality external links in 2012;
• Medic tightened its requirements for medical content in 2018.

Google has also launched a series of massive useful content updates in recent years, radically altering its ranking principles, prioritizing relevant and valuable content. These adjustments have led to significant shifts in website visibility, forcing content owners to rethink their strategies.

However, none of these previous updates have had the scope of the current innovations with the introduction of AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. These tools allow search engines to generate aggregated answers to complex queries directly in search results, integrating data from multiple sources. By 2025, this will lead to an increase in "zero-click" traffic—situations where users obtain information without visiting external sites. This particularly impacts traffic to news and educational resources. Experts estimate that such changes could reduce organic traffic by at least 20-30% for many sites. As a result, SEO specialists will be forced to seek new approaches to website promotion, including optimization for AI and generative engines.

How significant is this scale of transformation?

And here, many specialists have a completely legitimate question: are such changes... Is this something fundamentally new, something that will be relevant today, tomorrow, and for the foreseeable future, or is it a short-term trend?

Current shifts in search have long since gone beyond simple adjustments, as they affect the very essence of the web ecosystem created by people. AI Overviews, launched in 2024 and expanded in 2025, already cover billions of queries, offering not only text but also video, planning, and even multimodal analysis. This makes job search akin to a personal assistant that doesn't just provide links but synthesizes information. As a result, traditional strategies focused on keywords and search rankings are giving way to a focus on trust, uniqueness, and user experience.

For search marketing professionals with over 15 years of experience, these changes feel not just like a continuation of evolution, but the beginning of an entirely new paradigm. While previous updates can be considered chapters in the book of search innovation, AI search represents a fundamentally new book. One in which human content must adapt to remain visible in search results. This means investing in high-quality, expert-grade content—one that AI can cite in its selection—as well as combining it with video and interactive elements. Ultimately, while AI promises to make search smarter, it also challenges the web community to rethink its role in the digital world.

Search is evolving toward context

Search engines, particularly Google, have historically been associated with simplicity. The search results themselves consisted of several pages, each containing ten blue links leading to pages relevant to the user's query. This model worked according to the classic principle for decades, providing quick access to information. But in the last few years, Google has become more active, experimenting with formats.

These transformations have sparked considerable debate, not only externally but also internally, particularly around the balance between tradition and innovation. However, proponents of these changes argue that we are witnessing a shift from a classic structure to more dynamic elements. These elements will reflect general trends in technological development, prioritizing not only links but also a deep understanding of user queries.

Mobile devices, specifically the accelerated growth of mobile traffic, have also had a significant impact on the transformation of search. These transformations began approximately 15 years ago and show no signs of abating. With the transition to smartphones, users expect not just a list of links, but quick and comprehensive answers to their questions. This led to a shift away from the strict ten-result schema: search results became more adaptive, offering snippets, images, and maps directly on the main search results page.

In 2025, with over 60% of searches occurring on mobile devices, algorithms are focusing on user experience. This includes short answers, voice search, and personalization. Updates like Mobile-First Indexing have accelerated this trend, forcing sites to optimize content for small screens and fast sessions. As a result, search has evolved from a static list to an interactive tool that takes into account device context and user behavior.

The Role of AI in Providing Deep Context

Modern technologies, particularly those directly related to artificial intelligence, allow search to provide audiences with much more useful content than before. However, AI does not replace the internet, but rather complements it. It generates information summaries based on a wide variety of sources, while maintaining the ability to navigate to original pages for a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the material.

Today, in AI mode, users can engage in a dialogue with the network, asking clarifying questions to receive more complete and updated answers. These are the aspects that make the process very similar to talking to an assistant. This feature will be especially convenient and useful when working with complex topics, that is, where data must be collected from various sources, ranging from news to specialized research.

Despite all these changes, the fundamental principles of search remain unchanged. It remains a powerful tool for learning and discovering the world: for each query, the system performs multiple operations, collecting knowledge in a convenient format. In such conditions, AI acts as an additional layer that simplifies information consumption without completely isolating the audience from the web ecosystem. By 2025, features such as AI Overviews and Search Generative Experience (SGE) will already cover billions of queries, increasing engagement with target audiences by over 20-30% based on internal metrics. This development aligns with user expectations, who want to see not just dry facts in search results, but also a more detailed interpretation in real time.

This evolution of search is designed to maintain a delicate balance between traditional solutions and advanced technologies. AI enhances context while maintaining a connection to human content. For website owners, this once again highlights the need to create high-quality, structured content that algorithms can effectively use in their "smart" search results. These changes open up new opportunities for providing audiences with a personalized experience. Thanks to this transformation, we have a search engine that has already moved from being a banal tool to a reliable and forgetful partner in our daily lives.

Advertising in the Age of AI: From Intrusiveness to Relevant Content

The introduction of artificial intelligence into search engines is changing not only the way we obtain information, but also the role of advertising in this process. A less obvious aspect is that advertising is no longer perceived as an irritant, but as an organic part of the user experience. It integrates into the context of search queries, offering truly relevant offers that match the interests and needs of the audience. This allows businesses to attract a huge number of users to their pages without disrupting the natural search flow.

Discussing further the impact of artificial intelligence on advertising, three key aspects can be highlighted:

1. In the early stages of AI-powered search, the organic experience should remain a priority. This initial phase emphasizes creating high-quality content that will be highly valued by both search bots and the target audience. This will ensure a smooth and unobtrusive transition to more advanced technologies. Here, we're talking about testing algorithms that generate answers without distractions, focusing on accuracy and usefulness for the end user. This approach helps avoid interface clutter and builds trust. Users receive a clean, informative experience in which AI acts as an assistant, not a platform for aggressive marketing. In 2025, with the launch of features like AI Overviews, this will become especially relevant. Advertising will now appear only where it adds value to the main content, such as in a block with product or service recommendations related to the user's search query.
2. Advertising is considered a form of commercial information. Now it's commercial in nature, but subject to the same quality standards as organic content. This means it will be subject to strict metrics, namely relevance, usefulness, and meeting user expectations. This means ads aren't simply displayed, but are contextually adapted. You've likely encountered AI responses that present the answer to a user's query as a kind of commercial recommendation. In other words, what we're seeing here is a highly native and unobtrusive presentation of hidden advertising, one that feels more like a narrative. This model perfectly balances business objectives and user satisfaction. Companies gain the opportunity to communicate directly with their target audience, while users receive information about offers that can solve their problems. According to current data, integrating ads into AI Max and Performance Max 2.0 increases conversions by 14-27%, clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.
3. AI as a tool for rethinking advertising. With the development of artificial intelligence, new horizons for advertising are opening up, one where context plays a key role. AI helps identify optimal ways to integrate ads, making them more transparent and personalized. Alternatively, in conversational search mode, users will be able to interact with recommendations, clarifying details, while the system itself will offer relevant services without pressure. It's important to understand that people's fundamental need for commercial information remains unchanged. Modern audiences value compelling and engaging offers that can simplify their lives, whether searching for goods or services. At the same time, businesses continue to strive to connect with their audience. In all of this, AI can significantly strengthen this connection, automating targeting and creative work.

In other words, we can say that advertising in the AI era is evolving from classic banners to smart, contextual elements. This rethinking will allow many platforms, including Google Search, to maintain monetization without sacrificing user experience. For advertisers, this signals the need for adaptation: the focus is on high-quality content that AI can effectively utilize to make ads appear natural and deliver real value. These changes are currently being actively tested in practice, promising a more harmonious balance between information and commerce.

Can AI replace traditional search?

The development of artificial intelligence in search engines raises the legitimate question of whether AI mode will be able to completely transform the internet interface, becoming the primary method of filtering information. The current search model combines AI answers with traditional results—a list of links—to provide a balance between quick overviews and deep dives into sources. However, with the growth of AI features like AI Mode, there is concern that this will lead to the disappearance of traditional elements, including the "ten blue links" mentioned above, and radically change approaches to search engine optimization as a whole.

The following aspects are worth highlighting here:

1. The current status of AI mode as an experimental feature. Currently, the AI-powered search engine mode is positioned as an optional tool, available in a separate tab for users wishing to test its capabilities. This allows the company to experiment without disrupting the familiar experience of millions of daily searchers. In 2025, AI Mode already exited beta testing in the US, where it integrates with models like Gemini 2.5, offering real-time conversational responses. This structure gives users the choice of switching to AI mode for complex queries or remaining in the standard interface. According to recent reports, tens of millions of people interact with AI mode in search every month. However, it has not yet reached the level of the main search page, where traditional results still predominate.
2. Gradual integration into the main interface. The development of AI mode is conceived as an ongoing process, with successful features gradually migrating to the main search page. This means that AI will not completely replace the existing approach, but will significantly complement it. AI responses will increasingly focus on reviews and recommendations, while retaining links to reliable sources. Today, the migration of key elements, such as data visualization, be it charts for financial or sports queries, personalized recommendations based on Gmail data, and so on, is being actively implemented. This approach ensures evolution without disruptive changes: the AI model offers advanced capabilities, while still building on proven elements. As a result, search is becoming hybrid. Artificial intelligence will be responsible for contextual filtering, while traditional links provide access to primary sources.
3. Impact on SEO and the internet ecosystem. The integration of AI is already having a significant impact on website promotion, forcing specialists to adapt to the new reality. Classic methods focused on achieving top positions in organic search results are losing effectiveness due to the excessive growth of "zero-clicks": most people get answers to their questions without even visiting the site. Instead, the emphasis is shifting to AI optimization. This primarily involves creating content that AI can cite and summarize. Research shows that website traffic could easily decline by at least 20-30%, which is especially relevant for news and educational resources. However, this solution still opens up opportunities for video, interactive elements, and authoritative content.

Here we can draw an interim conclusion: in the long term, AI will not destroy SEO, but rather transform it, focusing on quality and relevance so that websites remain visible in updated search results. This is an evolution driven by the demands of the modern era, where AI enhances, but does not replace, human content.

The Impact of AI on Key Digital Professions in 2025

The fact that AI fundamentally changes the approach to traditional information search and, as a result, the work of SEO specialists – This is just part of the transformation currently taking place in the digital environment.

Every day, we become increasingly convinced that artificial intelligence has long since moved beyond experiments and become a real force in digital marketing, causing concern among other professionals about its future. According to a survey of 1,000 digital experts in the US on the website of a well-known marketer, over 56% of freelancers and company employees believe that AI will completely replace marketers in the coming years. This isn't just fear: AI-powered tools are currently demonstrating how automation is taking over routine tasks, reducing the need for human resources. According to McKinsey, the AI marketing market is estimated to be $47 billion by 2025, and its growth is accelerating, allowing companies to save up to 15% on personnel costs.

Here are a few professions that are currently at risk:

• Copywriters. We're seeing a shift from hand-written texts to instant generation. AI can create tons of content at a simple request. Platforms like Jasper, Copy.ai, or even the free ChatGPT generate social media posts, articles, product descriptions, and even video scripts in just minutes. They consider keywords, style, and tone, making the text SEO-optimized. For small businesses, this means that instead of hiring a freelance copywriter, AI can be used for daily content production, reducing costs by 50-70%. Even the obvious problems with emotional depth, which were evident just yesterday, are becoming less significant with the development of models like Gemini 2.5.
• Content managers. Here we're talking about the automation of scheduling and publishing. Today, AI is capable of analyzing audiences, creating plans, editing content, and even publishing posts at optimal times. Tools like Hootsuite with AI or Buffer incorporate algorithms that can predict engagement based on data. For websites, the situation is more complex, but it's still possible to connect to CMS platforms, including WordPress, via API, automating updates. According to expert surveys, such systems can save up to five hours of work per week, providing more opportunities to focus on strategy rather than routine work.
• Email marketers. Now, target audience segmentation and personalization of offers can be performed without human intervention. In email marketing, AI takes over the entire workflow, from generating newsletter texts and segmenting audiences into specific groups to sending the messages themselves and analyzing responses. Today, platforms are capable of automatically testing different email variants, adapting them to the specifics of a particular brand. Positive results are also being demonstrated here: email open rates have increased by 20-30%, and conversion rates by 15%. For small businesses, this simplifies communication, making it accessible without the need for a specialist. Graphic designers. Artificial intelligence can create a variety of visuals in response to user requests. AI generators are now widely used, such as Midjourney or DALL-E, which create illustrations, logos, banners, and covers based on a short text description. They can remove or add objects to photos, improve the quality of graphic content, and adapt it to the brand. For companies with limited budgets, this is a lifesaver: they can quickly create visuals for websites, apps, or ads without hiring a designer. In 2025, such tools will reduce costs by 40%, but require human oversight to ensure uniqueness.
• PPC specialists. Today, many pay-per-click experts are facing competition from artificial intelligence due to the automation of advertising campaigns. Google Ads and Meta Ads can now independently select audiences, budgets, bids, and even generate optimal ad text. Algorithms analyze performance in real time, offering step-by-step settings for beginners. As a result, even without a specialist, you can launch a campaign with optimal performance. According to 2025 data, AI increases ROI by 14-27% in Performance Max, making this profession less in demand, at least for routine tasks.
• SEO specialists. With the advent of AI in search, these employees are not only forced to find a new solution for website promotion but also face competition from various services, particularly in website analysis and content optimization. Examples include services like Semrush and Ahrefs, which are already integrated with artificial intelligence. These services are incapable of independently scanning competitors' websites, clustering keywords, optimizing text, and predicting traffic. AI will also take over website audits, identifying errors, and suggesting solutions. Previously, all these actions required a professional approach, but today the situation is undergoing radical changes.

If we briefly describe the process of creating an online store from scratch using artificial intelligence technology, all a person would need is to rent virtual hosting or a dedicated server, register a domain, install a CMS like WordPress with a template, and perform basic configuration. AI, however, will handle everything else, from collecting the semantic core to preparing texts, launching ads, and SMM. Moreover, the cost of accessing such platforms is lower than the team's salary. For large volumes, the budget can easily be reduced by 2-3 times. All this confirms the concerns of specialists working in these fields.

Is everything so rosy with artificial intelligence?

Despite all the advantages that artificial intelligence offers modern users and businesses, it is by no means certain that it will completely displace digital specialists from the market. Yes, huge investments are being made in this technology, new tools are being created, and existing ones are being improved, but many still agree that it won't be possible to replace a real human being in this way.

Part of the explanation for this is that AI has only recently become widely available. Despite its rapid development, fully automating routine tasks and replacing human workers is not yet possible. The main reason is the serious limitations of AI, which prevent it from performing simple tasks well enough. Here we are talking about the following key points:

1. Lack of critical thinking. With the rise of AI, the media has begun to talk about the end of copywriting, but this is far from the truth, as modern services operate based on templates and probabilistic models, without a deep understanding of content, assessment of truthfulness, or nuances of context. AI simply produces text, rather than attempting to understand the truth. It simply relies on the data at its disposal. They are often full of errors, biases, and stereotypes. And no additional verification is provided. A qualified copywriter always checks sources, minimizing risks, and understands the responsibility for their work.
2. Lack of emotional intelligence. Artificial intelligence has not yet learned to truly recognize human emotions and the subtleties of communication. It simply produces dry responses. Users of ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and other chatbots often complain about this "emotional detachment," which provokes irritation and rejection. This means that AI is unable to deeply understand the business and can provoke conflicts and misunderstandings.
3. Dependence on input data. AI does produce technically unique materials. Verification services show 100% originality. However, such text does not bring fresh ideas: it simply recycles and combines existing data, without creating anything fundamentally new. There's no practical analysis, subjective relationships, or specifics. This means that most of these answers remain superficial and don't provide the reader with a comprehensive understanding of the specific question.
4. Results are highly dependent on the quality of the query. AI doesn't grasp the context of your query, meaning you won't get a competent answer without a clear description of the problem. Most queries require multiple rounds of refinement to get an answer. And even then, there's no guarantee they'll be there. This means you'll still have to spend time on details and iterations. There's also the risk of "speculation": you risk receiving information that's far from the truth.

All these points indicate that creating high-quality user-generated content using only artificial intelligence is impossible, even with expensive AI tools.

Adapting to Modern Demands

However, we shouldn't underestimate the opportunities that artificial intelligence opens up for many specialists and even ordinary users today. We've already discussed the advantages and conveniences of using AI search, as well as the automation of many routine and repetitive tasks in the daily work of many professionals. This means that modern users shouldn't fight technological innovations, but rather adapt to them and use them to their own ends and interests.

With all this in mind, it's important to consciously evaluate the key advantages of AI, as well as the disadvantages we've discussed above. Here are a few simple tips that will help you easily adapt to the changes occurring in today's digital environment, avoid losing your job, and, moreover, improve the quality of your work:

1. Identify unique skills. Identify your own advantages over AI and leverage them in your daily work. For example, copywriters are skilled at testing products, understand audience psychology and emotional triggers, and can adapt to a brand's corporate style. Most designers have a wealth of original solutions at their disposal, and they specialize in UX/UI thinking to improve the user experience. SEO specialists are able to accurately analyze audience intent and tailor their strategy to it, and perform technical optimization of websites for search engine algorithms. SMM specialists can easily create content with memes and trends that can go viral online, as they understand audience emotions. PPCers understand the importance of in-depth competitor analysis, strategy, and flexible budget management. Humans outperform AI through analysis, strategy, and a personalized approach. If you master these skills, you'll remain indispensable.
2. Learn to use useful AI tools. After identifying your unique skills, focus on working with AI. Learn prompt engineering: the art of creating clear queries for models. Basic skills can be mastered in literally hours, but ultimately, you'll save yourself significant time and stress, and improve the accuracy of your results. It's also worth exploring relevant services that can be used directly in your work: ChatGPT, Gemini, Jasper, Grammarly, Midjourney, Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Ads AI, etc.
3. Deepen your expertise and learn new things. AI simplifies routine tasks, but key work will still need to be performed by human specialists. This means continuously improving your skills is essential. Develop analytical thinking, monitor current trends in your industry, and analyze competitors' projects. Invest in developing creativity, empathy, critical thinking, and strategic planning—all qualities that AI will remain elusive for a very, very long time.

Summing Up

Despite all the hype surrounding artificial intelligence, its future remains uncertain. Its capabilities may change radically in 5-10 years, but for now, it's important not to compete with it, but to integrate it as an assistant. This will automate routine tasks, freeing up time for strategy and creativity, while maintaining demand in the tech industry. Website owners' concerns about the evolution of search engines are also unfounded. If you focus on high-quality content that satisfies the needs of bots and your target audience, your materials will be featured as recommendations, which will keep your website traffic consistently high.

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