Written by Sofia Tsenekidou, Founder Tryseo.gr
The Future of SEO in the Age of Artificial Intelligence – Article Written: May 2025
Introduction
We are living in a time of technological explosion. SEO — once perceived by many as a static or limited practice — is now being called to redefine itself. Not simply because Google is evolving, but because the way people search, choose, and trust information is fundamentally changing. Artificial Intelligence is already here. The question is no longer if — but how we will evolve alongside it.
From Stirling University to Expatica: A Journey Full of Learning Curves
SEO first entered my life through a very personal need. After graduating with an MSc in Information Technology from the University of Stirling in Scotland, I wanted to help my brother promote his custom furniture business (Tsenekidis.gr). There was no advertising budget, so I started exploring the world of SEO.
The initial results were far from impressive, so I put it aside for a while. But in 2014, I returned to SEO and got the opportunity to work on a major project — expatica.com — a website for expats that, at the time, received 1.5 million monthly visitors, 90% of which came from organic search. I studied the high-performing pages closely and started to understand the deeper logic behind keywords and content structure.
Since then, I’ve built many websites, developing my own methodology — one based on SEO strategy from day one, using keyword research, competitor analysis, and content design that speaks to humans — not just to Google.
AI is Not a Threat. It’s a Mirror
AI isn’t here to replace SEO professionals. It’s here to make us ask: “What do I offer that a machine can’t?” Some feel threatened by it — I feel challenged. Our work was never static. SEO is constantly changing — and so must we.
The biggest pressure, perhaps, falls on editorial websites that rely on Google AdSense. If a user gets their answer directly from a tool like ChatGPT without visiting the original site, the publisher’s revenue decreases. It may be time to rethink reward models like AdSense and evolve them into systems that compensate website owners when their content is cited or surfaced in AI-generated responses.
SEO Is Psychology — Not Just Technique
I’ve always believed that keywords are a tool, not the goal. SEO is about understanding the person behind the search — what worries them, what inspires them, what they’re really looking for.
Today, we’re witnessing a major shift toward video. Users are bombarded with content and are often guided into impulsive decisions without fully realizing what they need or want.
SEO can play a significant role even in video content — by helping shape strategic topic planning. After all, user intent differs across industries. A fashion brand may rely on impulse, while a high-value B2B service demands depth, trust, and expert guidance.
Tomorrow: AI Agents, Delegation, and Human Choice
Conversational search is not a futuristic concept — it’s already here. Search behavior is changing. Gen Z may rely more on AI interfaces than on traditional search engines.
Then again, everything depends on context. In a noisy environment, you won’t be asking an AI out loud for help. When you want to take notes during a session, you likely won’t be speaking your queries. And here comes the real question: Are we ready to fully delegate our decision-making to AI agents?
How much time do we really want to save? And what is the value of losing personal involvement in our choices? The SEO of the future might not only need to understand what people are searching for — but who they are after the search ends.
The SEO Expert of Tomorrow Needs Empathy — and Instinct
Technical knowledge is a given. Familiarity with tools is expected. What’s not obvious, however, is the ability to adapt without losing your essence.
SEO isn’t just data. It’s also intuition. It’s the art of seeing beyond the query — of observing people and crafting content that has a reason to exist.
If there’s one thing that will persist in the future, it’s this: the need to offer people something meaningful. And as long as that need exists, SEO will stay alive.
Conclusion
SEO is not static. It never was. That’s why it isn’t in danger. It evolves. It transforms. And now — more than ever — it’s being called to meet technology in the most human way possible.
If AI shows us speed, SEO reminds us of rhythm. And rhythm is where people and machines can meet without losing the soul of content. The future of SEO in the age of artificial intelligence will be shaped — not by trends — but by SEO professionals who choose to reshape it in a way that truly serves the needs of this new era.
