1. AI Overviews Are Decimating Click-Throughs
A UK study reported by The Guardian found that AI-generated summaries (so-called “AI Overviews”) at the top of Google results pages have reduced click-through rates to news sites by up to 80%. Some outlets recorded desktop traffic declines of over 56% and mobile traffic drops of 48% when AI summaries appeared. For organisations that relied heavily on search visibility, this marks a dramatic shift: ranking first on Google no longer ensures an audience.
👉 The Guardian report
2. Changing User Behaviour
Research shows that UK and global audiences are increasingly adopting AI-powered search assistants instead of traditional engines. The Financial Times reported that up to 80% of consumers use AI-generated content for at least 40% of their searches. With users satisfied by concise, AI-generated answers, fewer are clicking through to source websites.
👉 Financial Times coverage
3. From Search Engines to Answer Engines
Traditional SEO optimised content for visibility in Google’s ranked lists of links. But AI assistants -whether integrated into Google, Bing, or standalone tools – now synthesise answers directly, often citing only a handful of sources. This means visibility depends less on keyword rankings and more on whether an AI includes your content in its response set.
4. Content Freshness and Structure Are Prioritised
Analyses of how generative systems cite sources suggest that newer, structured, fact-rich content is more likely to be surfaced than older material. Unlike Google’s SERPs, which often display content years old, AI systems tend to prefer fresher information and clearer formats that can be easily extracted into summaries.
5. Emergence of AI-Centric Optimisation Strategies
This shift has given rise to what commentators call Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) or AI Optimisation (AIO). The focus is no longer on climbing search rankings but on ensuring that content is:
- Structured and machine-readable (using schema, FAQs, tables).
- Conversational and direct (mirroring natural language queries).
- Credible and verifiable (with strong sourcing and transparent data).
These qualities make it more likely that an AI will select and represent a brand or organisation in its outputs.
6. SEO Is Becoming a Subset of AIO
Where SEO once stood alone as the cornerstone of online visibility, it is increasingly becoming one component within a broader AI-first optimisation strategy. Organisations now need to consider how content is stored, structured, and contextualised so it is not just crawlable by search engines, but also usable and quotable by AI systems.
Comparison: SEO vs. AI Optimisation
| Aspect | Traditional SEO | AI Optimisation (AEO/AIO) |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in SERPs (Google/Bing) | Be cited and included in AI-generated summaries |
| Visibility Metric | Click-throughs and page ranking | Presence in AI answers and response narratives |
| User Behaviour Target | Users clicking on links | Users consuming AI-generated summaries (zero-click searches) |
| Content Approach | Keywords, backlinks, metadata | Structured, conversational, fact-rich, machine-readable |
| Trust Signal | Link authority, domain strength | Credibility, freshness, contextual accuracy |
Conclusion
In the UK and globally, AI-powered search is reshaping how people discover information. Evidence from The Guardian and Financial Times makes it clear: clicks from Google search are declining, and users are turning to AI for direct answers.
Optimising only for Google SEO is no longer enough. The future lies in AI Optimisation (AIO): ensuring your knowledge, brand, or content is structured, credible, and accessible to large language models and generative systems.
Traditional SEO still matters – but as a subset of a broader AI-first visibility strategy.
