The Gist
AI is being increasingly integrated into Google's search algorithm, making SEO results more unpredictable.
Content uniqueness and originality will become even more important for SEO success.
AI can be useful for SEO analysis if used ethically, but not to generate content.
Regulation of AI will shape its future SEO impact.
Main Topics Covered
AI's Growing Role in SEO
AI is being rapidly integrated into Google's algorithm but in unpredictable ways.
This makes SEO results more volatile and harder to understand.
Google is still figuring out how to evolve search to leverage AI while monetizing it.
More AI control over search makes it very hard to debug issues.
SEO Industry Impact
The SEO industry will need to adapt to AI's influence on search rankings.
Following Google's guidelines will remain important despite unpredictability.
SEOs should track new AI developments and tools to stay current.
More AI search competitors could create opportunities to optimize for multiple platforms.
Ethical Use of AI in SEO
Using AI to generate content or copy others' work is unethical. It’s a practice SEOs should avoid.
AI can be used ethically for SEO analysis of content, competitors, keywords, etc.
Ensuring content originality and uniqueness will become even more critical.
SEO providers should safeguard clients' proprietary data when using AI.
The Future of AI, Ethics, and SEO
AI regulation will significantly shape its future SEO impact.
More transparency and citations of sources from AI systems would be positive.
AI will likely dominate social media, so SEOs should prepare to optimize there.
The SEO field will expand as people search across more AI platforms.
The Interview
This is a redacted version of the interview with Ann. Listen to the audio recording to hear the full interview.
How is AI impacting SEO practices?
AI is being integrated into search algorithms, making rankings more unpredictable and harder to debug. SEOs should follow Google's guidelines, track external signals, and keep developing new content. But there is less human control over search results now.
How long has Google been using AI in its algorithm?
Google has used AI behind the scenes for years but is still figuring out how to evolve the search interface to integrate AI features. Every search query with AI would cost more money, so Google doesn't know how to monetize it beyond ads.
What will this mean for the SEO industry?
It will depend on how AI generation is regulated globally. SEOs will optimize for AI platforms if that's where people discover information. On a high level, SEOs will still need to build brands and content, but it will be less predictable and harder to measure. New tools will help track AI platform results.
Are people moving away from Google search toward AI platforms?
Google still dominates search, but competitors like Bing (used by ChatGPT) are noteworthy. SEOs are keeping an eye on AI search platforms like You.com and Perplexity.ai. People may start discovering information in different ways, which is good for SEOs to have more channels.
“Google has used AI behind the scenes for years but is still figuring out how to evolve the search interface to integrate AI features. Every search query with AI would cost more money, so Google doesn't know how to monetize it beyond ads.”
Ethics and SEO
What are the ethical aspects of using AI in SEO?
The biggest ethical issue is using AI to generate content or images, which takes others' work. Ethical SEOs do not automate content creation with AI.
What are the most common ethical challenges in SEO?
The proliferation of tools that promise AI-generated content that can pass detectors. This is not original work. SEOs need to focus on creating unique, experience-driven content.
How do you ensure transparency, mitigate bias and protect privacy?
Those issues are not very applicable to SEO work, which doesn't handle websites or user data. Governments need to regulate AI platforms directly.
What's on the horizon for AI, ethics, and SEO?
Hopes for more regulation and transparency of AI platforms in citing sources and sharing privacy policies. Also, anticipate AI dominating social media with influencers. The "Wild West" needs a legal "sheriff," but it will take time.
AI Marketing Ethics in the News
We are reintroducing an old feature. Each week, we will include a roundup of AI marketing ethics news stories and articles compiled and curated by ChatGPT 4o. Here’s this week’s roundup:
The World’s AI Companies Are Killing Trust in the Technology (IP Watchdog)
Data Privacy in the Age of AI: 8 Ethical Considerations (BlockTelegraph)
In the rush to adopt AI, ethics and responsibility are taking a backseat at many companies (Business Insider)
People find ChatGPT to have a better moral compass than real humans (Business Insider India)
That wraps up this issue of AI Marketing Ethics Insider. If you like what you read, tell someone. If you don’t, tell us.
Paul Chaney, Editor
AI Marketing Ethics Digest
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