How is AI Changing the Way We Search – and the Results We See?

August 11, 2025

When you think about search queries, I’m willing to bet you think about search engine optimization, or SEO. Five years ago, SEO was the key to ensuring your brand was featured on the first page of Google, Safari or Yahoo.

Quickly, businesses learned to “hack” SEO by introducing keywords and phrases to their websites, boosting their page through pay-per-click (PPC) advertisements and continually adding new content through blog posts. While all of these tactics are still useful ways to optimize your brand’s website – and its placement within search engines’ indexes – the way people search has changed.

In a recent study, Sprout Social found that roughly 37% of consumers look to social media for product reviews and recommendations. Additionally, 35% of social media users – of all ages – use platforms like Facebook, YouTube and TikTok to find local restaurants and activities.

Even more so than social media, artificial intelligence is changing the way people find information. And, if you’ve been on the internet lately, chances are you’ve already seen this.

When you Google something, how often do you peruse Gemini’s response before looking to webpages for in-depth responses?

How often do you look to a tool like ChatGPT for questions that a few years ago would’ve been answered by a quick search on Safari?

AI has revolutionized how we access information. So, where exactly do artificial intelligence platforms’ responses come from?

According to MuckRack’s recent Generative Pulse study, “What is AI Reading?”, more than 89% of links cited by AI are earned media. This means AI is looking to unpaid, earned media coverage when responding to consumers’ inquiries.

How, exactly, do brands achieve this type of coverage? PR.

Public relations is, essentially, the art of earning media coverage. As our CEO and Founder Filomena Fanelli likes to say, these are the results you pray for, not the results you pay for.

Whether it’s a quotation in Forbes (like Katy Dwyer of KDD Marketing sharing her tips on email marketing) or a feature in Rochester Business Journal (see Don Cortina of Tompkins Community Bank’s insights on commercial real estate), this type of media coverage ensures your brand is not only being seen but being heard.

Here’s a quick breakdown of where AI looks for different types of search inquiries:

• Finance & Insurance = Journalism Content

      Think Bankrate, Investopedia and Reuters.

• Healthcare = Government and NGO Sources.

     Here’s where you’ll find links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

• Hospitality = Owned Media

      A hospitality brand’s website, blog and social media presence account for roughly half of AI’s responses related to this industry.

AI also pulls from recent content – most commonly, one to thirty days before a query, but never more than 12 months prior. This means a consistent media presence is key to staying top of mind for consumers.

The bottom line? AI is changing the way we search, and results are drawing more heavily on earned media sources than ever before. The best way to ensure you and your business are remaining visible is through prioritizing your public relations efforts.

Whether you’re looking for assistance establishing yourself – or your business’s leaders – as thought leaders or want your brand to be findable across all types of search and media channels, reach out to our team to see how we can support you.