At the PSNI Global Alliance Marketing Summit last month, someone—I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I don’t remember who—asked a powerful question during the Q&A:

“How much of the ‘search’ market share is going to Chatbots like ChatGPT versus traditional search engines like Google?”

I’ve been thinking about that question ever since, and we finally pulled together some data to answer it, and what businesses should be doing to adapt their SEO strategies in the AI Mode era. 

In this short but insightful article, I will break down how Chatbot search volume compares to search engines, and what's next for SEO! 

Also, here is a quick recap of my takeaways from the PSNI Marketing conference:

Let’s Look at the Data

Data shows that traditional search engines still occupy the #1 position by a lot. Despite rapid growth, chatbot traffic constituted only 2.96% of search engine traffic. These findings show that search engines are not going away any time soon, and as Google rolls out AI mode, we will see search engines becoming more and more closed ecosystems, or what I call glorified LLMs.

SearchEngines VS ChatbotsDownload

The PDF we shared outlines some key takeaways:

  • Traditional search engines, especially Google, are still dominant—by a lot.
  • Google owns proprietary behavioral, content, and location-based data at a scale no other platform can currently match.
  • While Chatbots like ChatGPT have gained attention and usage, their share in transactional or navigational searches remains limited compared to Google.

That said, this space is evolving—fast.

Enter “AI Mode”: The Glorified LLM

On May 20, Google changed the game again with the full rollout of AI Mode—a dynamic layer of Large Language Models (LLMs) embedded into Search. It’s not just a chatbot experience. It’s contextual, multi-dimensional, and built on an ocean of proprietary data.

This move isn't just about keeping up with ChatGPT; it’s about expanding the intent engine that drives search. Google isn’t just indexing pages anymore—it’s interpreting moments, understanding intent, and serving answers that feel like they were written just for you.

What this means is that listicle-based rankings (you know, “Top 10 best air fryers”) are slowly being deprioritized. AI Mode is ushering in a new phase which is search signal driven:

  1. Search becomes personalized
  2. Intent replaces keywords
  3. Relevance is the new currency
  4. Historical preferences will be integrated into your search experience

So, What Should Businesses Be Doing?

Well, that depends on where you're standing.

1. If Your Organic Traffic Is Dropping…

You're not alone. Many businesses are seeing shifts in visibility. Here’s the key:
Don’t waste your time trying to reverse-engineer Google’s system.
That ship has sailed.

Instead, pivot your content strategy toward what actually works now:

  • Intent-layered content
  • Emotional mapping to connect with users at different journey stages
  • Smarter segmentation based on behavior and historical preference 
  • Building a strategic content ecosystem that is value centric vs creating articles for keywords
  • Niche-first focus vs. trying to appeal to everyone

2. If You’re Gaining Organic Visibility… 

Lucky you. If AI Mode is surfacing your content and giving you a lift, your job is to consolidate, strengthen, and distribute.

  • Strengthen your brand voice and earn free PR
  • Share your content across multiple platforms
  • Keep your message focused on delivering real value - think utility over search terms

3 Bonus Takeaways for Everyone:

  1. Optimize for multiple platforms and content formats
     → Think beyond blogs. Use short video, carousels, PDFs, and even podcast snippets.
  2. Shorter, more focused content wins
     → 400–600 words with tight utility and clear value is outperforming fluff.
  3. Think in terms of Search Experience Optimization (SXO)
     → It’s no longer about search engine tricks—it’s about meeting real user intent, with real content.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

This isn’t just another Google update. It’s the shift.

Google’s been moving in this direction since the first E-E-A-T update. The message was clear:
Make content for people.
Now, with AI Mode, Google is doubling down—rewarding brands that are trusted, relevant, and valuable.

And no—ChatGPT isn’t stealing Google’s lunch. In fact, with the AI Mode rollout, Google just put more tools on the table, integrating LLM smarts into all its products and search surfaces.

If you want to learn how to prepare your content for this AI-driven environment, I’ve put together a step-by-step video guide.