AI SEARCH IS DISRUPTING GOOGLE - BRAND VISIBILITY IS ENTERING A NEW ERA
Search behavior is undergoing a profound shift. As MIT’s Finnish Nobel laureate Bengt Holmström stated at AI Finland in March: “I no longer Google—I just talk to ChatGPT.” He’s not alone.
According to Statistics Finland, 23% of Finns used AI in 2024, most commonly for information searches. Among 16–24-year-olds, that number rises to 45%, and to 38% in the 25–34 age group. Globally, Attest’s Consumer Adoption of AI Report (January 2025) shows that 47% of consumers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia already use AI search to help make purchasing decisions.
Traditional search engines return lists of links. AI gives direct, contextual answers. As a result, online visibility is no longer dictated solely by SEO. A new era has begun: influencing AI-generated recommendations.
FROM LINKS TO ANSWERS – AND WHY IT MATTERS
For over 20 years, Google dominated the web through search algorithms and paid visibility. Now, large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Mistral, and Perplexity deliver instant answers, concise comparisons, and expert-like guidance—without requiring the user to click through multiple sites.
This shift is especially relevant for complex or high-consideration products and services, such as insurance, finance, EVs, health services, or tech solutions. Increasingly, customers are asking AI: “What’s the best option for me?”—and AI may not recommend your company.
In that case, the decision is made before you're even considered. AI now acts as an advisor, marketer, and sales assistant.
AI SEARCH INDEX: FINNISH BRANDS ARE MISSING
Superlines’ AI Search Index 2025 analyzed the presence of Finland’s 100 largest companies across five leading AI platforms using 3,500 Finnish-language queries. The results were alarming:
Only 3 companies (Microsoft, Posti, Fazer) appeared in over 50% of AI responses.
The average visibility for listed companies was just 22%.
In retail: 23%, industrial: 20%, and financial sectors: 19%.
75% of companies were mentioned in less than 30% of AI search results.
This means that the vast majority of Finnish brands are not even entering the customer’s decision set when AI is consulted.
WHAT CAN COMPANIES DO? WELCOME TO GEO – GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
To secure a place in AI-generated recommendations, companies must act fast. This isn’t just about SEO—it’s about GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
While SEO optimizes for search engine algorithms, GEO focuses on influencing how language models surface and recommend content. Being recommended by AI doesn’t happen by accident. Companies must systematically shape what AI finds, understands, and values.
Your roadmap to GEO:
Assess your current visibility in AI search:
Use tools like the AI Search Tracker or test prompts directly across AI platforms.Create content optimized for AI:
Focus on clarity, relevance, and conversational tone. Highlight your expertise and competitive advantage.Embed GEO into your strategy:
Ensure your company’s information, brand, products, and values are consistently visible across sources LLMs index—your website, expert blogs, forums, and media.Continuously monitor and evolve:
GEO is not a one-off task. Train your content teams to understand what AI reads and values—usefulness, trustworthiness, and clarity.
FINAL WORD: DON’T LET AI RECOMMEND YOUR COMPETITOR
Generative AI is no longer emerging—it’s mainstream. Nearly half of consumers already use AI to make purchase decisions.
The AI Search Index shows most Finnish companies aren’t being mentioned in AI-generated responses.
If your brand isn’t visible in AI search, it may not exist in the customer’s decision-making process.
Now is the time to ensure AI finds—and recommends—you.
The original article was published in Finnish in the Tekoälyfoorumi (AI Forum) in April 2025.