Video: 5 AI search stories you need to know (September 2025)

The search and marketing world never slows down. Last week’s inaugural edition of Semrush’s Marketing Countdown, featuring Search Engine Land, explored how the landscape is rapidly shifting under our feet.

We unpacked five of the biggest stories making waves:

• Generative AI is changing search, but Google is still where people start: Study
• How Perplexity ranks content: Research uncovers core ranking factors and systems
• Google says AI is boosting Search. Yes, but…
• Google launches AI Mode in 180 countries and territories
• ChatGPT’s answers came from Google Search after all: Report

Bottom line: SEO remains critical in the AI-driven search era. A strategic, brand-focused, and user-first approach is essential. Companies must align messaging, produce authoritative content, and track emerging AI visibility metrics to thrive in a diversified, AI-influenced ecosystem.

Here’s the video of everything you need to know to stay ahead of the curve – plus takeaways and insights you won’t want to ignore.

Marketing Countdown was hosted by Rita Cidre, head of Academy at Semrush, and featured:

• Mordy Oberstein, Founder of Unify and communications advisor for Semrush
• Danny Goodwin (that’s me), Editorial Director at Search Engine Land
• Erich Casagrande, content product specialist at Semrush

It focused on the evolving landscape of SEO, the impact of AI on search, and actionable marketing strategies. Some of the key themes discussed:

Generative AI in search

• AI is changing how people research, but Google remains the dominant starting point due to habit and trust.
• AI summaries offer convenience but often reduce clicks to websites, posing challenges for publishers.

Google’s AI upgrade

• Google’s announcement of its biggest search upgrade lacked transparent data.
• Publishers report rising impressions but falling clicks, showing a “great decoupling” between search visibility and user traffic.

Answer engines and content

• Platforms like Perplexity highlight the need for authoritative content, topical authority, and trusted citations.
• Video content and user engagement are increasingly important for visibility.

Google AI Mode

• Rolled out in 180+ countries.
• Presents comprehensive AI-generated answers in a separate tab, suggesting a future where AI synthesizes multiple subtopics into a single response.

ChatGPT & Google

• Despite OpenAI’s claims of Bing reliance, ChatGPT Plus reportedly pulls from Google results, reinforcing Google’s central role in SEO.

Shift in marketing strategy

• Marketers need to blend tactical SEO with brand-building.
• Fragmented channels and AI-driven search require holistic, integrated strategies.

Unsiloing teams

• Consistency across marketing and AI platforms is essential to avoid contradictory brand messaging.

SEO best practices

• Focus on high-quality, user-centric, contextual content rather than outdated keyword tactics.
• New metrics include brand mentions, sentiment analysis, and AI visibility tracking.

Content sources for AI

• YouTube and Reddit are frequently cited in AI answers.
• TikTok and Instagram are less influential in this context.