There’s been a rise in chatter about AI SEO agencies, as some brands are curious about optimizing for generative AI tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity. But are AI SEO agencies really a thing? Is SEO for AI platforms fundamentally different from traditional SEO for search engines like Google or Bing? And are there any established patterns or best practices for AI SEO yet? Here’s our take:
How Generative AI Tools Gather Data Changes Rapidly
As generative AI tools like ChatGPT have grown in popularity, the sources they reference to create content have evolved. Early discussions suggested ChatGPT drew from Bing or Google search results and platforms like Reddit. Over time, some of these sources have shifted or decreased in usage. This shows how quickly AI’s information-gathering changes and why implementing SEO specifically for generative AI tools is challenging, since the industry is still evolving.
AI Tools Don’t Have a Stable “Ranking” System
AI tools don’t have a stable or fixed “ranking” system like traditional search engines. Their outputs are influenced by factors such as the recency of their training data, retrieval models that pull information from live search, the specific prompts and constraints used, and the level of brand familiarity or entity recognition. As a result, the way AI platforms generate and prioritize responses is often unpredictable, making it difficult to rely on consistent rankings over time.
Agencies Branding Themselves as “AI SEO” Are Mostly Repackaging
You may have noticed agencies branding themselves as “AI SEO” specialists. But in many cases, it’s mostly a repackage of traditional SEO services. These agencies typically offer standard SEO strategies, add the phrase “AI-powered” in the service names, and present it as something entirely new. While the AI tools may provide efficiency or insights, the core SEO approaches such as comprehensive research, technical optimization, content quality, and authority building remain the same. In other words, “AI SEO” isn’t a brand-new discipline. It’s high-quality SEO with some AI enhancements.
While the rise of generative AI tools has sparked interest in “AI SEO,” the reality is that SEO for AI platforms is still largely rooted in traditional principles. AI tools may influence how content is discovered or presented, but they don’t follow stable ranking systems, and agencies branding themselves as “AI SEO” are often offering classic SEO with AI enhancements. Success still depends on solid research, technical optimization, quality content, and authority building, just as it always has.
