The evolving landscape of search engines and artificial intelligence (AI) has left many digital marketers and publishers questioning the future of search engine optimization (SEO). In its latest Search Off the Record podcast, Google tackled this issue head-on, exploring whether AI threatens to make SEO obsolete. While the discussion offered valuable insights into how SEO and AI coexist, it also sidestepped critical challenges faced by the broader web ecosystem.
SEO: Dead or Alive? Google’s Optimistic Outlook
Google’s John Mueller posed the provocative question: “Is SEO on a dying path?” The response from Gary Illyes, a fellow Googler, was refreshingly blunt:
“SEO has been dying since 2001, so I’m not scared for it… I’m pretty sure that, in 2025, the first article that comes out is going to be about how SEO is dying again.”
Illyes highlighted that speculation about the demise of SEO has been a recurring theme for decades. From Google cracking down on reciprocal links in the early 2000s to the introduction of statistical analysis in ranking algorithms, SEO has continually evolved in response to new challenges. The fear that AI will replace SEO, according to Google, is just the latest iteration of an age-old concern.
However, what wasn’t addressed is the tangible impact AI-driven changes have already had on publishers, many of whom have seen their traffic plummet due to Google’s opaque algorithm updates.
AI and SEO: Bridging the Gap with RAG
Google emphasized that AI isn’t replacing SEO but reshaping how it works. A key concept discussed was Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). This AI technique blends traditional search processes with large language models (LLMs) to deliver fact-based, up-to-date answers.
RAG works by retrieving information from external sources like a search index or knowledge graph, then using an AI model to generate answers in natural language. As Mueller explained:
“These AI-powered search results are often a mix of the existing things that you’re already doing. It’s not that it suddenly replaces crawling and indexing.”
For SEO professionals, this means that optimizing content for crawling, indexing, and ranking remains crucial. Even AI-powered search engines rely on these processes to gather and present accurate information.
Challenges Facing Publishers in the AI Era
While Google painted an optimistic picture of SEO’s future, it avoided addressing the elephant in the room: the profound impact of AI on the publishing industry.
Organic Search and AI Overviews
The once-dominant “ten blue links” format has been fading for over a decade, but AI has rendered it almost entirely obsolete. Natural language search queries and conversational AI interfaces are replacing keyword-based searches. This shift challenges content creators who have long relied on traditional optimization techniques.
Backend AI Algorithms
Google’s backend algorithms, which now incorporate AI, are notoriously opaque and often capricious. Sudden changes in traffic, sometimes reversed months later, create an unpredictable environment for publishers. For many, these fluctuations have resulted in significant losses, raising questions about the reliability of AI-driven systems.
Is Google Out of Touch?
One of the most striking omissions in Google’s discussion was the lack of acknowledgment about the damage AI algorithms have inflicted on the web ecosystem. Many small and large publishers have struggled to survive as Google’s algorithms prioritize AI-driven features. Critics argue that Google’s leadership, including CEO Sundar Pichai, appears disconnected from the realities faced by publishers and SEOs alike.
The Future of SEO and Publishing
So, is SEO on a dying path? According to Google, the answer is no—but that doesn’t mean the road ahead is smooth. SEO remains critical, especially as AI technologies like RAG depend on robust, crawlable content. However, the challenges posed by AI to traditional publishing models and organic search cannot be ignored.
The real question may not be whether SEO is dying but whether publishing itself is on the decline. As AI continues to reshape how information is discovered and consumed, publishers and SEOs must adapt quickly—or risk being left behind.
