How CMOs Are Preparing for AI-Powered Search
As artificial intelligence (AI)-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews become more integrated into how consumers discover information, many are asking a critical question: Will traditional search engine optimization (SEO) survive the shift?
We asked members of the CMO Think Tank how they’re preparing for the rise of AI-powered search—and whether SEO as we know it is truly on the way out. Their responses reflect a grounded, pragmatic approach. Rather than abandoning search strategy, these leaders are adapting their playbooks to ensure their brands remain visible, trustworthy and valuable.
Don’t Count SEO Out Just Yet
Ronak Sheth, CMO of 360 ONE, doesn’t believe AI will spell the end of traditional SEO. “Consumer behavior rarely moves in one sweeping wave,” he explains. “Yes, digital natives and early adopters will shift quickly to conversational AI for answers, but there will also be large segments who’ll continue to search, browse and explore content the traditional way.”
Sheth is pursuing a dual strategy: adapting content to be more AI-structured and widely cited, while keeping organic fundamentals strong. “The real opportunity lies in bridging both worlds for now,” he says.
“Relevance beats reach. The game isn’t over—it’s just changed.”
Prioritize Relevance Over Rankings
Magda Paslaru, Founder and CEO of RainbowIdea, agrees that AI is changing the game—but not ending it. “Traditional SEO was about ranking for clicks; now it’s about earning trust in an AI-powered ecosystem,” she says.
Her team is planning for the shift by prioritizing authority, clarity and structured content. “We’re building content that machines can understand but humans actually value,” she adds. “Relevance beats reach. The game isn’t over—it’s just changed.”
Be the Source AI Trusts
Boris Dzhingarov, CEO of ESBO, believes the future of SEO lies in being a trusted source for AI models. “We’re focusing more on brand authority, structured data and content that feeds AI models,” he says. “The goal is to be the source these engines trust—not just rank on page one.”
His digital PR agency is now developing content and strategies designed to feed the AI ecosystem, not just search engines. “AI-powered answer engines are reshaping how users consume content, but I don’t believe they’ll fully displace traditional SEO—they’ll evolve it,” he says.
Optimize for AI Visibility, Not Just Clicks
Amber Brown, SVP of Product and Marketing at Clario, notes that “Everyone’s quick to declare SEO dead, but we’ve seen this cycle before. Voice search, mobile-first, featured snippets… every disruption was supposed to bury organic. The reality? The rules evolve, the game stays.”
Her advice: “We’re not walking away from SEO, we’re evolving it. That means optimizing for AI visibility, owning trusted content and positioning ourselves as the source AI depends on. The winners are the brands AI can’t afford to overlook.”
“Regardless of the AI evolution, my focus remains on building our brand’s authority and publishing authentic, well-structured content across our owned channels.”
Understand Intent and Context and Create Content That Helps
Heather Stickler, CMO at Tidal Basin Group, is optimistic about what AI-powered search will do for content quality. “AI-powered search engines will help SEO evolve away from keyword-stuffed content and toward content optimized for full questions, intent and context,” she says.
Stickler emphasizes that the goal hasn’t changed: Create content that informs and helps. That’s in line with Google’s own recommendations regarding content creation: Share helpful, reliable and people-first content. According to Google, their “automated ranking systems are designed to present helpful, reliable information that’s primarily created to benefit people, not to gain search engine rankings.”
“If companies stick to this mantra,” Stickler says, “they will survive the AI-powered SEO revolution and gain even greater brand visibility and lead generation through more useful, less clickbaity content.”
Takeaways for Marketing Leaders
- Traditional SEO isn’t dead—but it’s being reshaped by AI answer engines.
- Structure your content for both humans and machines: Keep in clear, authoritative and contextual.
- Focus on trust and brand authority to increase your chances of being cited in AI-generated responses.
- Build dual strategies: one for conversational AI discovery, one for classic search behavior.
- Relevance, not volume, will continue to be the metric that matters most.
Marketing Leaders: SEO Isn’t Dead, It’s Just Changing
The rise of AI-powered answer engines marks a major evolution in digital discovery but according to these experts is in no way an extinction event for SEO. Marketing leaders who are adjusting their strategies now, with an eye toward trust, structure and real utility, will be best positioned to thrive. In this next phase of search, visibility will continue to belong to those who not only show up but show up with value.
