Google’s latest I/O and Marketing Live updates point in one clear direction: search, ads, and shopping are becoming more AI-mediated.
AI Overviews and AI Mode are turning Google Search into more of a decision-making layer, where users can compare options, ask follow-up questions, and get answers without always clicking through to a website.
At the same time, Google Ads are moving toward a “set the goal, let AI execute” model, with more automation across campaign setup, creative, reporting, and optimisation. This is super interesting direction, although currently not really capable of delivering especially on the B2B side.
For marketers, the takeaway is simple: keywords still matter, but they are no longer enough on their own. Visibility will increasingly depend on clear positioning, strong content, first-party data, trustworthy measurement, and brand authority. I would highlight the word trustworthy measurement here.
To put this all in short: AI search optimization is now becoming part of everyday SEO (and AI search of course), SEM, and analytics work.