AI doesn’t just change search — it decides which brands to ignore.
At Adobe’s conference today, Andrew Warden, Semrush’s CMO, said the landscape has changed dramatically – and that brands are now at risk of systematically filtering out AI systems.
- “The idea of standing out is no longer optional. There is a real danger of uniformity,” Warden said.
Because AI systems decide what to reveal and what to ignore, brands now have to compete for visibility in responses.
AI is changing the way acquisition works
You can already see the data shift, as 60% of Google searches now end without clicking on a website.
Users still search, but they don’t always visit websites. They get answers directly from AI systems like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others.
AI systems are becoming what Warden describes as “the new gatekeepers.”
This is part of a wider shift towards the age of the agent – where AI systems act as mediators, guiding users through the entire journey from question to decision in a single interface.
At the same time, user behavior is changing. People spend a lot of time in chat rooms, asking follow-up questions, refining questions, and exploring options without ever leaving the interface.
The result is fewer clicks, but usually users with higher intent.
According to Warden, “buyers who use LLMs convert at least 4 times higher than those who use search only.”
SEO is fundamental
Despite continued claims that AI will replace search, Warden pushed back.
- “I’m here to tell you today… that [SEO is] he did not die,” he said.
Instead, SEO has become fundamental. It’s not just about landing pages anymore – it’s about making sure your product exists in the data layer that AI systems rely on.
- “SEO isn’t just for humans anymore. This is the training manual for AI right now,” Warden said.
That includes the basics:
- Crawling
- Indexability
- Structured data
- Signs of authority
Without them, your product will not be seen at all.
- “If you don’t have core SEO goals … LLMs will remove you from the conversation.”
Research supports this: 94% of Google AI Overviews cite at least one top organic result, emphasizing that traditional search signals still support AI results.
The rise of the ‘low tax’
One of the most prominent ideas in the session was what Warden called the “useless tax.”
- “AI is preparing itself right now to be oblivious.”
That means content that feels familiar or repetitive disappears.
- “If you’re generic, you’re average. And if you’re average or nothing… [you are] invisible.”
AI systems do not reward you in the same way. Instead of highlighting your product, they condense the same content into a single answer – often removing the description entirely.
- “This is an invisible penalty that you pay,” Warden said.
The results appear in three ways:
- Your brand identity is erased from AI-generated summaries
- Your content is released as a low value
- Your work becomes training data for AI without visibility
- “You are also a free training platform for LLMs,” he said.
Where visibility depends
Warden reframed brand visibility as a combination:
- Availability: Can LLMs get you?
- Authority: Do they trust you enough to include it?
- “You really need both,” Warden said.
SEO ensures discoverability. Authority determines whether you appear in AI-generated responses.
Without authority, you run the risk of becoming a “property not worth mentioning.”
How to win: three important signs
Warden identified three areas that determine whether a product appears or is filtered.
1. Organizational authority
AI systems map frameworks and relationships.
- “The AI should accept your product as an authority on the topic,” Warden said.
One important signal is demand for the product.
- “If people don’t want it, neither will AI,” Warden said.
Strong brands reinforce their authority in multiple areas – managed content, media coverage, and social interactions – making it clear what they stand for.
2. Information density and originality
AI systems prioritize citing content that adds something new. So don’t just publish content. Give something meaningful.
- “They put forward new facts,” said Warden.
That includes:
- Proprietary data
- Real research
- Unique ideas
- Expert opinions
According to Warden, original data can increase visibility by 30 to 40%.
3. Signal alignment
AI evaluates not just what you say – but what others say about you.
That includes:
- Updates
- Reddit and YouTube discussions
- Media coverage
- Customer interviews
- “If there are conflicting signals … the AI is flagging you for dishonesty,” Warden said.
Consistency in all of this creates what he calls a “consensus signal” – a unified narrative that AI systems can trust.
Why most organizations are not ready
One of the biggest challenges is organization.
- “Visibility is not… the channel’s problem… the organization’s problem.”
Today, responsibility is divided:
- SEO teams focus on rankings.
- PR teams and brands manage messages.
- Growth teams run tests.
But no one owns visibility into all AI systems.
This leads to inconsistent signals and missed opportunities.
To compete, companies need alignment across teams, with a shared strategy for how the product looks everywhere LLMs pull data from.
The measurement problem
Meanwhile, general performance metrics deteriorate.
Warden described a pattern that many marketers see:
- Levels remain stable.
- Traffic is decreasing.
- Leads are increasing – but exposure is unclear.
Warden says:
- “The need is still there. But … traffic is no longer a proxy for that.”
- “Your content is being used, but not in a way that brings people back to you.”
This creates a growing gap between impact and measurement.
From standards to relevance
The competitive landscape has changed.
- “You’re no longer competing for position. You’re actually competing to be the integrated answer,” Warden said.
Authority is also more difficult to control than before. Now it depends more on external validation – what others say, not just what you publish.
- “Algorithms are no longer your partner … they are the ultimate arbiter of what is meaningful.”
That’s one of the biggest changes to search since Google itself.
New rules for product visibility
AI hasn’t changed what makes a product strong, but it has changed how strength is measured and rewarded.
The winning brands are:
- Build real authority in a focused area.
- Publish original, high-value content.
- Align messages across platforms and channels.
- Benefit from consistent verification from third parties.
In this new environment, visibility must be achieved throughout the ecosystem.
Or as Warden puts it:
- “Make it impossible [LLMs] to ignore it.”
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