AI & the Future of Search
Thursday, August 21, 2025
What We Covered:
- The New Search Paradigm: Discover how AI is fundamentally transforming search from static links into a dynamic, conversational interface where traditional organic and paid boundaries are blurring.
- Strategies for Success: Learn actionable approaches, including Tinuiti’s AI SEO framework, to ensure your brand shows up, stays relevant, and builds authority in this AI-driven search landscape.
- Embracing Novel Measurement: Explore the essential new KPIs and analytical approaches needed to track true performance and impact in a world where AI delivers answers directly, often without a click.
Let’s be honest — AI has already rewritten the rules of search. It’s not just changing how we optimize; it’s fundamentally transforming search from a static surface into a dynamic, interactive interface. The traditional “10 blue links” are giving way to AI companions and iterative moments of discovery. For brands, this means a shift from isolated queries to a holistic, adaptable strategy that embraces both Organic and Paid Search in unison.
That’s why we’re back for round two: to get real about what brands actually need to show up, stay relevant, and earn authority in this new world of generative search. In this follow-up session, Tinuiti’s Michelle Merklin, Jen Cornwell, and Simon Poulton will go beyond the hype. We’ll dive into how organic signals will influence paid performance, the role of ads within AI Overviews, and how to leverage Tinuiti’s AI SEO— our proprietary GenAI search framework — to help you navigate what’s next before the rest of the market catches up.
Michelle Merklin
Vice President of Paid Search, Innovation & Growth Tinuiti
Jen Cornwell
Senior Director of AI SEO, Innovation & Growth TinuitiTranscript Highlights: AI & The Future of Search
AI & The Future of Search
Search is changing faster than ever. From Google’s AI Overviews to ChatGPT, TikTok, and YouTube, discovery is no longer about typing two keywords and clicking a link. Queries are becoming conversations — and brands that fail to adapt risk disappearing from the answers that matter most.
Simon Poulton, EVP of Innovation & Growth, Tinuiti:
Zero-click searches are becoming the norm, with over 60% of queries resulting in no clicks. That’s not a dead end — it’s the new front page of the internet. Brands that master AI SEO will own the “top answer” space inside AI Overviews and answer engines, where consumer trust is being built. Search is no longer about links — it’s about conversations.
Michelle Merklin, SVP of Paid Search, Tinuiti:
Ads are now appearing inside AI summaries — above, below, and even within AI-generated answers. That means paid and organic can no longer live in silos. We’re also seeing query length expand — moving from one- or two-word searches into natural language (“lightweight waterproof jackets for hiking”), which makes landing page content and contextual relevance more important than ever.
Jen Cornell, SVP of SEO, Tinuiti:
Generative AI is creating a new search intent category: “generative.” Instead of how do I write an email?, people ask AI to write the email. To win, brands need contextually complete content with topical authority, passage-level optimization, and citations that LLMs trust. This is the science of content — moving from keywords to meaning.
Key Takeaways:
- Zero-Click Era: Being cited in AI answers is now the real measure of visibility.
- Paid + Organic Synergy: Ads are influenced by organic AI responses — both must work together.
- AI SEO Dashboard: Tinuiti’s proprietary tech helps brands see where they appear, track sentiment, and prioritize optimizations.
- CopyTiger: Our new AI + human-in-the-loop solution generates thousands of brand-safe ad headlines and descriptions at scale, solving for creative fatigue while improving performance.
Action Steps for Brands:
- Audit your content for topical authority and completeness.
- Align paid + organic teams to optimize landing page content.
- Benchmark brand visibility and sentiment across LLMs.
- Invest in scalable creative solutions to keep ad copy relevant.
Bottom Line:
AI SEO is not a disruption to fear — it’s the biggest brand visibility opportunity in years. Own the top answers. Lead the conversation. Be where your customers are searching.
