The AI Search Shift
From Keywords to Conversations
Google Search isn’t dying—but it is evolving.
AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are reshaping how people search for information, discover products, and make decisions. And Google itself is now rolling out its AI Overviews product to the masses—putting conversational results above organic listings.
According to eMarketer, AI-driven search ad spend is expected to explode from just over $1 billion in 2025 to $26 billion by 2029.
STAT OF THE WEEK
60% of U.S. adults say they’ve already used generative AI for researching products or services.
— Salesforce State of the Connected Customer, 2024
⚠️ WHY THIS MATTERS
The classic performance marketing playbook—built around keywords, landing pages, and conversion-optimised funnels—is hitting its expiry date.
What’s changing:
Users now ask questions, not type keywords
AI gives summarised answers, not just clickable results
The “click” isn’t the start of the journey anymore—it might never happen at all
If your brand isn’t structured to be included in AI-generated summaries, you’re invisible in the next phase of search.
WHAT'S BREAKING
Your Keyword Playbook
→ Exact matches matter less. Semantic relevance and intent context matter more.Your Content Assets
→ Static landing pages and generic copy won’t cut it. AI scrapes structured, authoritative sources—think schema, FAQs, product specs, reviews.Your Attribution Model
→ If the customer decision happens inside the AI interface, your tracking pixel won’t see it. Welcome to the dark funnel, version 2.0Your Budget Allocations
→ Still spending $200K/month on Google Ads, but $0 on content infrastructure? You’re underinvesting in the future of discovery.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“The game is no longer: Who can get clicked. It’s: Who can get mentioned in the machine’s answer.”
,The Rebooting
— Inspired by
COMING THURSDAY
Rebuild Strategy:
“How to Optimise for the AI Search Layer: Beyond Keywords and Clicks”
You’ll learn:
How to create “LLM-readable” content that gets cited
The role of structured data & schema markup
How to rethink your paid & organic strategy for AI-first interfaces
A checklist to future-proof your visibility in the next wave of search