Stop Measuring AI Search Like SEO: Here’s What To Track Instead

8. Does Google search still exist as we know it in five years?

I expect evolution, not revolution.

A screenshot of a Google SERP will probably look very different in five years, but I don’t think it will look like AI Mode for every query. Google is more likely to move toward a hybrid experience, with SERPs that change more dramatically depending on the search intent.

We already see this today. The results page for a local query, a product query, and an informational query can look completely different, and the trend will likely continue.

I also don’t think Google will stop sending outbound traffic any time soon. It could happen eventually, but it creates a monetization problem because Google’s business model is still built on sending traffic.

Google’s own AI features documentation still frames AI Overviews and AI Mode as experiences that surface links, which supports the idea of a hybrid SERP rather than a single AI answer replacing every result.

Could that change in the future? In theory, yes. 

Agentic e-commerce could replace some of that. But it’s unproven, and it doesn’t work for every type of business. Five years is a long time, but it’s not long enough for Google to rebuild its business model from scratch.

Web Guide is one of the more interesting experiments to watch because it points toward a hybrid future. 

9. What is the most underrated technical move for AI visibility right now?

I think log analysis is one of the most underrated technical moves for AI visibility, especially for larger teams.

Search Console is getting worse, and most AI platforms don’t have a direct Search Console equivalent. It makes log files one of the best places to understand what AI systems are accessing.

In a previous AMA, Jamie Indigo explained that: 

“AI bots can be aggressive and resource-heavy. They will crawl publicly exposed development areas, and security by obscurity does not work. Log files show you what’s actually happening, not what dashboards assume is happening.”

The image below is an example of what it could look like