Written by: Vickie Sullivan | July 24, 2025
How AI Is Changing Search, and What Marketers Must Do Next
Just when you think you’ve cracked search engine optimization (SEO), generative AI (GenAI) shakes things up. ChatGPT is leading the charge, and this recent Semrush study lays out exactly how AI is changing search in ways every non-geek marketer must understand.
While Google is still the 500-lb gorilla, I expect ChatGPT’s influence in how people find and interact with content to grow fast. So, here’s the big question: What’s changing—and how do we take advantage of how AI is changing search?
The Biggest Shift Cause by AI: Search Intent
The biggest shift is happening in what experts call “search intent.” ChatGPT is breaking away from traditional models. According to the study, 70% of user prompts don’t match the typical search behaviors we’ve optimized for, such as looking for a website, researching a product, or gathering basic info.
Instead, users are showing up in creation mode. They want help brainstorming, solving problems, writing, planning, and making decisions. Even within the 30% of prompts that resemble traditional search, there’s been a noticeable bump in informational queries (from 36% to 52%).
Bottom line: ChatGPT users aren’t just searching. They’re doing. And that changes everything.
Right now, that 70% of “unknown intent” is still murky. There isn’t a lot of hard data yet. But based on how people use ChatGPT (think help me write, make a plan, and get advice), it’s clear users are looking for support, not just information.
So, here’s the play: Shift from content that informs to content that assists. Can you turn your insights into tools? Frameworks? Brainstorming aids? Decision guides? If your content helps people do something, not just learn something, you’re speaking the new language of AI search.
I don’t see this shift reversing anytime soon. GenAI is rewiring how people explore, create, and connect with content. That’s why it’s worth spending a little time this summer rethinking your approach. Because how AI is changing search is about more than algorithms—it’s about usefulness.
Now Read This:
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