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AI will not kill SEO, but it raises the bar. Eight insights on AI Overviews, AI Mode, GEO, brand and KPIs from Alex Karnatowski's keynote at Digital 1to1.
INSIGHT
July 2, 2025
2 minutes read

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INDEX

At Digital 1to1 South Europe Edition, our CEO Alex Karnatowski gave a keynote on how AI is changing search. These are the eight main insights he shared.

1. AI will not kill SEO

There are more than 40 types of SEO, and only a few of them feel a significant impact so far. On most sites, traffic from LLMs (mainly ChatGPT) is still below 1% of visits. At the same time, 50% of product searches already happen outside Google, on Amazon, YouTube, Reddit and other platforms. And ranking #1 in classic Google results gives you about a 25% chance of being cited in AI Overviews.

2. The top 10 still rules

The higher your page ranks within the first ten results, the greater your chances of appearing in AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity answers.

3. AI Mode is a change of model

Google now generates more than 20 synthetic queries per search, uses reasoning across several sources, personalises answers to each user’s behaviour and pulls from video, audio and text to build its responses. The consequences:

  • Classic keyword SEO alone is no longer enough.
  • You cannot optimise for static keywords when Google rewrites queries in real time.
  • Personalised results mean rankings are no longer the same for everyone.
  • AI Overviews already reduce clicks by around 35%, and AI Mode will increase that drop.

4. Optimise for Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) means creating content that answers real buyer questions. Use Q&A formats, specifications and comparisons, and add schema and structured data.

5. Brand work is not optional

Know your brand’s starting point. Audit off-site mentions, reviews, PR and industry lists. Search for your brand in AI tools and check that the answers reflect your message. Try to appear on high-authority sites, and analyse which sources are cited for your competitors.

6. Rethink your KPIs

Reliable LLM data does not exist yet. No tool reports how often your content is retrieved or whether it is present in a vector index. New metrics are needed.

7. Don’t forget the basics

Do not let the AI hype distract you while old problems, such as Google penalties, still hold your site back.

8. Keep perspective

AI is transforming search, but it is an evolution, not an extinction. Stay strategic, stay focused and keep optimising.

Conclusion

AI does not kill SEO. It raises the bar. Brands that adapt their content, brand and technical foundations will stay visible, even with fewer traditional clicks.