From searching for links to getting answers: how AI is changing SEO, GEO and digital visibility

Artificial intelligence is already part of many business conversations. We talk about automation, productivity, data analysis, content creation, customer service and internal efficiency.

However, its impact goes far beyond the way organisations work. AI is also changing how we search for information, compare options and discover companies, suppliers, technologies and solutions.

In this new era, SEO and GEO are beginning to share the same goal: making content visible, understandable and useful.

For years, online visibility has been mainly associated with traditional search engines. Companies optimised their websites, content and keywords to appear when users entered a query.

The journey was relatively straightforward: search, review the results, visit several websites and compare the available information.

Today, that journey is starting to change.

For example, more users are asking complete questions, requesting recommendations and looking for comparisons. They also expect information to be organised before they even click on a website.

At the same time, generative AI tools and new search experiences can bring several sources together. They can add context and offer comparison criteria within a single answer.

This has an important consequence. A user’s perception of a brand may begin to form before they ever visit its website.

As a result, digital visibility is no longer only about appearing in search results. It is also about being understood, cited and considered trustworthy in environments increasingly shaped by AI.

From appearing on Google to being understood by AI

A McKinsey & Company analysis describes AI-powered search as a new “front door” to the internet.

According to the consultancy, around half of consumers already use AI-powered search. In addition, this type of search could influence $750 billion in consumer spending in the United States by 2028.

Although these figures come from a consumer context, they reflect a broader trend. The same behaviour may also extend to B2B environments and technical sectors.

Users are no longer simply looking for information. They also expect to understand it, compare it and filter what matters more quickly.

In fact, another McKinsey analysis published in 2026 reported that 63% of European consumers already use AI tools to compare options and learn more about products.

This behaviour becomes especially relevant when decisions are complex. The same applies when there are many alternatives or when specialised information needs to be interpreted.

For scientific, healthcare and biotechnology sectors, this shift could have a significant impact.

When someone searches for a technology, a specific application, a supplier or a technical solution, finding a website is not enough. They also need to understand which option fits their needs, which data they can trust and which company inspires greater confidence.

The question is no longer only: “Do we appear on Google?”

It is increasingly becoming: “Can our content be understood, assessed and recommended correctly in an AI-mediated environment?”

SEO is not disappearing. It is evolving

This shift does not mean traditional SEO is going away.

On the contrary, a clear, useful, well-structured and technically optimised website remains essential. What is changing is the way companies gain visibility.

The evolution of SEO and GEO reflects this change.

McKinsey warns that brands that fail to adapt could see a 20% to 50% reduction in traffic from traditional search channels.

There is another trend to consider: zero-click searches.

According to an analysis published by Search Engine Land and based on SparkToro and Similarweb data, 68.01% of Google searches in the United States ended without a click during the first months of 2026.

These figures should not be seen as a reason for alarm. Instead, they point to a change in user behaviour.

More people now resolve part of their search directly within the search environment. They do not always need to visit a website.

AI may strengthen this trend. A generated answer can summarise content, compare alternatives or draw conclusions. Therefore, part of the decision-making process may happen before the click.

Website visits still matter. However, they are no longer the only indicator of digital visibility.

It also matters how a company appears and in what context. In addition, the sources supporting that company and the consistency of its digital presence can help build trust before direct contact takes place.

From SEO to GEO: a natural evolution

Within this changing landscape, SEO and GEO are increasingly discussed together.

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. In simple terms, it refers to optimising content for generative AI engines.

The term is relatively new, but the underlying idea is straightforward. Content should be useful, understandable and trustworthy for both people and the systems interpreting it.

In that sense, SEO and GEO share the same foundation: making content easier to find, understand and use.

Google’s guidance on generative search experiences such as AI Overviews and AI Mode also reinforces an important point. The goal is not to chase specific “AI tricks”.

The foundations remain the same: useful, original and accessible content created for people.

This distinction matters.

The answer should not be to produce more content automatically. Instead, companies should focus on creating better content.

That means clearer structure, greater precision and stronger alignment with the questions users are actually asking.

In other words, AI does not replace a strong content strategy. It makes one even more necessary.

More content does not always mean more value

One of the biggest temptations of AI in marketing is the ability to produce more content, faster and with less effort.

However, publishing more does not necessarily mean communicating better.

In 2026, Gartner published a particularly relevant finding. According to its research, 49% of US consumers believe generative AI has made the quality of available content worse.

This perception reflects a growing concern.

AI can increase the amount of content available. However, it does not automatically improve its usefulness, accuracy or credibility.

For companies operating in scientific, healthcare or biotechnology fields, this point is especially important.

Trust is not built through digital presence alone. It also depends on accuracy, clarity, up-to-date knowledge and genuine expertise.

When users look for a technical solution, they need precise information.

They want to understand what a company offers and where its expertise lies. They also need to know which applications a technology supports and why they should trust the organisation behind it.

In highly specialised environments, generic content rarely creates differentiation.

Useful, clear and reliable content does.

Trust as a growing factor in digital visibility

AI can help automate tasks, organise data and speed up decision-making. However, its impact depends on how it is integrated into a wider strategy.

The same applies to digital communication.

AI-powered search can increase a company’s visibility. At the same time, it can make weaknesses easier to detect.

These may include outdated data, inconsistent messaging or content that is difficult to verify. A lack of clarity or limited external evidence can also weaken credibility.

For this reason, a digital strategy should not focus only on the corporate website.

Technical publications, news articles and media presence also matter. The same is true for events, collaborations, professional networks and high-quality external mentions.

Together, these touchpoints help build a coherent picture of the organisation.

In an environment where AI can bring together information from multiple sources, every signal matters.

The clearer and more consistent those signals are, the easier it becomes for both people and AI systems to understand what a company does and why its expertise matters.

It is not enough to be present. You need to be understandable.

It is not enough to appear. You need to be trustworthy.

It is not enough to create content. You need to provide value.

What SEO and GEO mean for a technical or scientific company

In specialised sectors, digital communication comes with an additional challenge: translating technical expertise into clear messages without losing scientific rigour.

That means developing content around real questions.

Which technology is being used?

Which applications is it best suited for?

What benefits does it offer?

Are there any relevant limitations?

In which context does it provide value?

Which criteria can help users choose one solution over another?

Consistency also matters.

If a company describes itself differently across its website, social media, commercial materials and technical content, its value proposition becomes harder to understand.

The same can happen when an AI system interprets those sources.

For this reason, working on SEO and GEO also means making specialised knowledge easier to interpret.

AI does not necessarily favour the company that publishes the most. Clear, verifiable and useful content has greater value.

And that still requires human judgement.

Communicating with purpose in the age of AI

Before applying artificial intelligence to any process, it is worth asking a few key questions.

What do we need to optimise? Which tasks take the most time? Which resources are we not using effectively? Where could we improve the user experience?

The same logic applies to digital communication.

Before publishing more content, we should ask:

What does our audience need to know?

Which questions can we help answer?

How can we make our value proposition easier to understand?

What type of content strengthens our credibility?

And which signals help people understand who we are and what we contribute?

These questions can help our judgement before using the tool.

They also help companies avoid repetitive content created simply to maintain publishing frequency.

AI can free up time in research, organisation and production. However, human expertise remains the real differentiator.

In marketing and communication, that means understanding the audience, selecting reliable sources and explaining complex subjects with clarity.

At Biomol, we believe technology creates real value when it is used with knowledge, judgement and purpose.

As artificial intelligence increasingly shapes the way people access information, clear communication will become even more important.

In this context, SEO and GEO are part of the same evolution in digital visibility.

AI is not only changing the way we search for answers.

It is also changing the way we evaluate options and decide who to trust.

Sources

Main source

McKinsey & Company. New front door to the internet: Winning in the age of AI search.

Supporting sources

• McKinsey & Company. AI to browse but not to buy.
• Gartner. Gartner Survey Finds Only One-Third of Consumers Say GenAI Rivals Search Engines; Marketers Must Optimize for Both AI-Driven and Traditional Search.
• Gartner. Gartner Survey Finds 49% of U.S. Consumers Say GenAI Has Made Content Quality Worse.
• Google Search Central. Google’s Guide to Optimizing for Generative AI Features on Google Search.
• Search Engine Land. Google zero-click searches reach 68% in early 2026: Study.