Heather Physioc
Chief Discoverability Officer, VML
AI Fuels the Resurgence of Search Engines
Exploring their resurgence and their indispensable role in brand visibility and as a primary channel in the information gathering phase
AI and the new battleground for search
Our findings suggest that predictions of search engine demise were premature. That’s just part of the story – and the race is wide open, despite marketplaces and search engines currently out in front. Why? Because AI is reshaping the search and discovery landscape at a pace we haven’t seen in decades. So, brands must evolve their search strategies beyond traditional SEO. The rise of AI in search demands a new approach:
- Optimize for AI crawlability
- Adapt for semantic search
- Diversify content formats
- Prepare for reduced website clicks
With the rise of AI in search, the traditional focus of SEO solely on keywords is expanding to include optimizing for AI crawlability, adapting content for semantic search and diversifying content formats, including video and interactive content. While AI-generated results can enhance the search experience for users, they also have the potential to reduce clicks to websites as users may find the AI-generated answers sufficient.
Understanding a series of key questions will undoubtedly offer a strong starting point for shaping your strategy in this area…
Download our 2025 Future Shopper report
AI-powered search is increasingly curating and filtering results before they reach the consumer, meaning brands must ensure their content is structured, credible, and machine-readable. The Future Shopper 2025 report shows that 18% of shoppers start their product research on search engines, tied with leading marketplaces, and 17% use search engines for active product searches. To be visible in this environment, businesses should:
- Maintain accurate, detailed, and consistent product data across all channels
- Use structured data markup so AI systems can easily interpret and surface content
- Optimize for natural language and conversational queries, reflecting how users interact with AI assistants
- Create authoritative, trustworthy content that meets AI’s preference for credible sources
- Integrate rich media such as videos, 3D product views, and interactive guides to increase engagement
The goal is to be “AI-ready” — ensuring products and brand content are consistently visible in the curated results that AI-powered search engines and assistants deliver.
Conversational AI and chatbots are becoming a bridge between search and purchase, guiding customers through the journey in real time. Our survey suggests that shoppers welcome the use of AI-powered assistants for personalized shopping advice and would use them to compare products more easily. These tools are already:
- Providing instant answers to product questions, reducing drop-off during research
- Offering personalized recommendations based on browsing history and stated preferences
- Assisting with product comparisons, availability checks, and delivery timelines
- Facilitating transactions directly within the chat interface, shortening the path to purchase
As AI assistants become more sophisticated, they will increasingly act as proactive shopping agents — anticipating needs, surfacing relevant products, and even negotiating offers on behalf of the customer.
Generative AI is reshaping how product information is created, optimized, and delivered. The report notes that 18% of shoppers have already used generative AI for product recommendations, and the best place to buy something (16%). Notably, 46% of shoppers claim it does not bother them that content is generated by AI. For e-commerce, this means:
- Automatically generating SEO-friendly product descriptions, category copy, and FAQs at scale
- Creating personalized landing pages or marketing messages tailored to individual shopper profiles
- Producing visual content such as AI-generated product imagery or lifestyle scenes for faster creative turnaround
- Enabling dynamic, context-aware responses in search results, where AI can synthesize reviews, specifications, and pricing into a single, concise answer
This automation allows brands to keep content fresh, relevant, and optimized for both human shoppers and AI-driven search algorithms.
AI is shifting search engines from static query-response tools to dynamic, predictive shopping companions. In Future Shopper 2025, search engines are tied with leading marketplaces as the top channels for information gathering (18%) and active search (17%).
- Anticipate intent and surface relevant results before a query is fully typed
- Integrate richer product information, reviews, and price comparisons directly into search results
- Deliver more credible, vetted answers by prioritizing authoritative sources
- Blend inspiration, research, and purchase steps into a single, compressed journey
This evolution means search engines are reclaiming their role as a primary gateway to e-commerce, particularly for shoppers seeking unbiased, broad-spectrum results before narrowing down to a specific retailer or marketplace.
Several AI-driven tools and applications are powering the resurgence of search in retail. Several AI-driven tools and applications are powering the resurgence of search in retail. These innovations are making search faster, more relevant, and more engaging — and positioning it as a critical touchpoint in the modern e-commerce journey. Key tools include:
- Generative AI for summarizing product reviews and creating concise buying guides
- Visual search tools that allow shoppers to upload an image and find similar products instantly
- Voice search integration, enabling hands-free product discovery
- AI-powered autocomplete and query refinement to guide shoppers toward relevant results faster
- Personalization engines that adapt search results based on browsing history, location, and purchase behavior
- Predictive analytics that identify trending products and push them higher in search rankings
Together, these innovations make search faster, more relevant, and more engaging — and position it as a critical touchpoint in the modern e-commerce journey.
Read the full report to understand:
- The current shopper trends and consumer behaviors driven by risk aversion and hesitation.
- How economic and political uncertainties are reshaping consumer spending and shopping habits.
- The current key financial stress factors for today’s consumer.
- How can brands and retailers adapt their strategies to address evolving consumer psychology and purchase delays.
- How businesses can build consumer trust and provide reassurance to cautious shoppers in uncertain times.
The role of economic and political uncertainty for the modern shopper is just one of the crucial themes we investigate in our new report which covers insights and recommended actions spanning the end-to-end shopper journey. Click for all ten themes to champion the e-commerce and hybrid retail challenge, through unified customers journeys and touch points, frictionless shopping, integrated channels, meaningful innovation and connected commerce.
