For over two decades, Google has been the undisputed gateway to the internet. But in 2025, that dominance is being challenged—not by another search engine, but by AI-powered assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity. These tools don’t just point users to websites; they generate direct answers, summaries, and recommendations. And increasingly, users are turning to them instead of Google.
So, what does this mean for marketers, SEO strategists, and digital brand teams? Is Google on its way out? And more importantly, how should brands adapt to stay visible in this new AI-first landscape?
Let’s unpack what’s really happening—and what you need to do about it.
Key Insights for Marketers
1. AI Isn’t Replacing Google—Yet. But It’s Changing Search Behaviour
Google still commands the lion’s share of traditional search traffic. But AI tools are rapidly gaining ground, especially for:
- Quick answers and summaries
- Product comparisons and recommendations
- Research and ideation tasks
According to recent industry data, over 40% of Gen Z and Millennial users now consult AI assistants before or instead of using Google for certain queries. This shift is subtle but significant. It’s not about a total replacement—it’s about fragmentation. And that fragmentation means your brand’s visibility strategy must now extend beyond Google’s SERPs.
2. AI Assistants Are the New Gatekeepers of Brand Visibility
When a user asks ChatGPT or Perplexity for the “best project management tools” or “top cybersecurity platforms”, the AI doesn’t return a list of blue links. It generates an answer—often naming specific brands. If your brand isn’t mentioned, you’re invisible in that moment.
This is a fundamental change. In traditional SEO, you could rank on page two and still get some traffic. In AI-generated answers, it’s binary: you’re either in the answer, or you’re not.
That’s why AI visibility is now a critical metric for digital teams. It’s not just about optimising for Google anymore—it’s about ensuring your brand is understood and represented accurately across AI models.
3. Traditional SEO Tactics Alone Won’t Cut It
AI models don’t index web pages the way Google does. Instead, they rely on a mix of training data, real-time web access, and curated sources like Wikipedia, news outlets, and product review sites. That means:
- Keyword stuffing won’t help.
- Backlinks may have limited impact.
- Structured data is useful—but not sufficient.
To improve your visibility in AI-generated answers, you need to focus on content clarity, brand authority, and presence in trusted third-party sources. You also need tools that can monitor how your brand appears across different AI platforms—and guide you on how to improve it.
That’s where platforms like Promina come in. Promina tracks your brand’s presence across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, identifies content gaps, benchmarks your competitors, and provides actionable steps to boost your visibility in AI-powered search.
Final Thought: Don’t Wait for the Shift—Adapt Now
AI isn’t replacing Google overnight. But it is reshaping how people find, evaluate, and engage with brands. As a marketer, your job is no longer just to rank on Google—it’s to ensure your brand shows up wherever decisions are being made.
That means embracing a broader visibility strategy—one that includes AI-generated answers, not just search engine results.
The future of search is multimodal, multi-platform, and AI-driven. Are you ready?
How is your brand showing up in AI-generated answers today—and what are you doing to improve it?
Explore how Promina can help you take control of your AI visibility: Start your free trial.