Over the past three years, AI tools have evolved from novelty to necessity in brand discovery. Previously, search engines were the gold standard for consumer awareness, with companies investing heavily to achieve high rankings. Today, AI-based search is starting to transform customer journeys and shopping interactions.
By 2028, LLMs traffic will overtake traditional search. This isn’t a minor trend, it represents a fundamental change in how people find and trust brands. As AI increasingly shapes how people search and make decisions, understanding this shift is critical for brands aiming to stay visible, relevant, and influential.
Changing Consumer Behavior: How Search is Evolving
Search behavior is shifting. Users are increasingly turning to AI chat tools for direct answers, while search engines themselves are adopting AI summaries at the top of results pages. This change pushes traditional listings down and significantly impacts visibility, even for publishers who previously held top ranking positions.
The impact on traffic is measurable, Click-through Rates (CTRs) drop to 8% when AI summaries appear, compared to 15% without them. A quarter of users even end their search session immediately.
This evolution highlights a new reality: brands need to be discoverable in AI-powered answers to remain part of the conversation and shape consumer decisions. The shift creates an opportunity to engage audiences in ways that are more direct, personalized, and contextually relevant.
Being Seen in AI-Powered Answers
With the rise of AI tools, optimization isn’t just about pleasing Google’s algorithms. While this shift changes traditional visibility patterns, it also opens new doors. Brands now have the chance to appear directly in AI-generated answers, where visibility depends less on keyword rankings and more on clarity, credibility, and authority. In essence, a brand's digital footprint will be its most valuable asset, helping it appear not just as an option, but as the trusted recommendation surfaced by AI engines.
Two frameworks are emerging for AI optimization:
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is about making content easy to use in direct responses. Think short, clear explanations and structured information that can be quoted word-for-word by an AI.
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on how brands are represented in AI-written summaries. It relies on credibility, entity recognition, and clarity to increase the chances of being referenced.
Being visible in AI search is not just about rewriting copy. It requires technical precision and content clarity to work hand-in-hand.
- Technical readiness: Schema markup, structured data, fast load times, and clean site architecture make content accessible to AI crawlers.
- Content clarity: Long-form answers, entity-linked references, and topic depth ensure AI systems view the brand as credible.
By understanding these approaches, brands can position themselves to be referenced and trusted by AI systems.
Quality Over Quantity: AI Search Drives High-Intent Traffic
Unlike traditional search engine traffic, AI search brings visitors who are further along in the decision-making process. Users arriving from AI-powered results have typically already compared options and gathered basic information, making them high intent and more likely to convert.
Major AI search platforms like Perplexity and ChatGPT already drive tens of millions of monthly visits. Perplexity alone reached 50 million monthly visits by mid-2024, growing more than 1,000% year over year.
This growth surpasses early adoption rates seen during Google’s rise, signaling LLM search as a significant referral channel.
AI Discovery on Every Device
Currently, AI-driven referrals happen on desktop. But as AI assistants become more integrated into smartphones, messaging apps, and voice interfaces, mobile AI search will become the dominant mode of discovery.
As AI assistants integrate further into mobile devices, messaging apps, and voice interfaces, brands with fast, clear, and mobile-optimized experiences are well-positioned to connect with audiences across all devices. Rather than a risk, this shift represents an opportunity to engage users wherever they are with seamless, high-value interactions.
Why Early Action with AI Pays Off
Investing in AI search optimization isn’t just about protecting and future-proofing traffic. It’s a growth lever that bridges visibility, trust, and conversion:
- High-quality traffic means stronger conversion rates.
- Visibility in AI responses builds brand authority and trust.
- Clear, structured content compounds visibility across multiple engines.
- Technical readiness makes it easier for AI systems to find and recommend you.
AI search is where visibility, trust, and intent now converge.
