How SEO

Is Changing

in the Age of AI

The world of search is shifting. In Google results, you now often see AI-generated answers — no clicks required. Queries are increasingly handled not by traditional search engines, but by generative AI models.

Google Search is already testing SGE (Search Generative Experience), Perplexity defines itself as an “answer engine,” and tools like ChatGPT and Claude have long trained users to expect complete answers instead of links.

In this new landscape, classic SEO tactics — keywords and backlinks — are no longer enough. Two new paradigms are taking the stage: #AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and #GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

Numbers and Trends

According to Upwork’s September Hiring Report, demand for digital marketing grew by 9%, while among SMBs, SEO rose by 8% and #SEM by 7%. Businesses are actively seeking professionals who can adapt their strategies to GEO and AEO.

As reported by Search Engine Land, implementing GEO can increase a brand’s visibility in generative AI responses by up to 40%.

(SEM — Search Engine Marketing — refers to paid advertising and Google Ads campaigns, or any activity that buys visibility in search results.)

AEO — Optimizing for “Answer-Based” Queries

AEO focuses on ensuring that your content provides clear, direct answers to user questions, increasing the chances of appearing in “answer boxes” or “featured snippets.”

It’s a shift from classic SEO toward voice and contextual search optimization. The goal of AEO isn’t to be in the top 10 — it’s to be in the answer itself.

GEO — Optimization for Generative Systems

GEO aims to make sure that a company’s or author’s content is referenced or cited within AI-generated responses (on platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and others).

If SEO competes for a place in search results, GEO focuses on ensuring that AI relies on your content when generating its answers.

SEO/AEO/GEO - Key Differences

New Tasks for Digital Marketers

AI is transforming the very essence of search — and with it, the role of marketers. The new goal is not only to rank higher in search results but to make the brand visible within AI responses.

This means:

Creating content that AI can easily “read” — with clear structure, factual accuracy, and concise phrasing;
Monitoring where and how AI systems mention your brand;
Focusing not just on traffic, but on trustworthiness as a source.

Once, we competed for a place in search results. Now — for a place in AI’s answers. Yet the essence of the work remains the same: to make meaning visible amid the noise.

Technology changes fast, but the core value endures — the ability to create content that’s worth showing, worth quoting, and worth trusting.

How SEO Is Changing in the Age of AI

21-10-2025

AI is transforming search. Learn how SEO evolves into AEO and GEO — where visibility means being cited in AI answers, not just ranked in results.

Learn more

Keeping the Human Mind Sharp When AI Can Do It All

16-10-2025

AI makes work easier, but thinking harder. Learn how to stay creative, critical, and human in the age of intelligent machines.

Learn more

AI Workslop: Why Businesses Pay Freelancers to Fix AI

07-10-2025

AI speeds up work but often creates “workslop” - results that look complete yet lack value. Freelancers are the ones turning them into quality.

Learn more

Disney Creative Strategy: How Ideas Become Reality

03-10-2025

Disney Creative Strategy: dream, plan, critique — a tool to guide ideas from imagination to real-world results.

Learn more

Upwork Boost: Increasing Freelancer Profile Visibility

29-09-2025

Discover how Upwork’s Available Now badge and Profile Boost work, their costs, pros and cons, and which boost is best for freelancers or agencies.

Learn more

10 Posts to Help You Get Started on Upwork

29-09-2025

We’ve gathered a set of articles to guide you through the essentials — from setting up your profile to building long-term client relationships.

Learn more

Etcetera summer 2025 report

26-09-2025

Etcetera summer 2025 results: quiet season, new team members, shifting Upwork rules, and plans for an active autumn.

Learn more

Upwork Feedback: a trust tool you should learn to read and write

22-09-2025

Upwork feedback is more than stars — it builds trust, shapes reputation, and guides choices. Learn how to read, request, and write reviews effectively

Learn more