There’s been anxiety in the SEO community lately. Will ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI tools kill traditional search? Google’s VP of Product Robby Stein gave a clear answer in his recent interview on Lenny’s Podcast: “AI isn’t replacing search – it’s expanding it.”
The numbers back this up.
AI Is Increasing Search Traffic, Not Killing It
According to Stein, Google is seeing more searches than ever. People are asking more complex, conversational, and visual questions. Google Lens usage alone surged 70% year-over-year. “Billions and billions and billions” of visual searches are happening.
Why?
In traditional search, you’d type “best coffee maker” and click through 10 blue links to do your own research. In AI Mode, you can ask naturally: “I love coffee but have a sensitive stomach – which coffee maker produces less acidic coffee under $200?”
The difference? People no longer need to speak to search engines in Google’s “keyword-ese” language. They ask like they’re talking to a friend. And this has multiplied the number of questions being asked.
What Is AI Mode and How Does It Work?
AI Mode is a new layer of Google Search. Stein describes it as “an end-to-end frontier search experience on state-of-the-art models.”
What powers the system? Some impressive numbers:
- 50 billion products (from Google Shopping Graph)
- 2 billion price updates per hour (live from merchants)
- 250 million places (from Google Maps)
- Complete finance data
- Access to the entire web
AI Mode isn’t a chatbot. It’s not designed for therapy, creative writing, or productivity. The focus is informational needs: planning, learning, verification.
Integration is strong too. Stuck on something in AI Overviews? You can ask follow-up questions and jump straight into AI Mode. Take a photo with Google Lens? AI Mode opens, you can ask follow-ups.
GEO and AEO: The Rules Haven’t Changed As Much As You Think
The SEO community has been buzzing lately about AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Are traditional SEO tactics dead?
Not according to Stein. Here’s what actually happens when AI constructs a response:
The “Query Fan-Out” Process:
- User asks about “specific running shoes”
- AI generates dozens of related queries internally
- Background searches happen for each query
- Each search pairs with relevant content
- Real-time data backend gets queried
- AI synthesizes final response
The critical insight? Something is still searching. It’s not a person, but searches are happening. And content needs to satisfy those searches.
Stein referenced Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines and seemed to suggest that SEO best practices still apply:
“Do you satisfy the user intent? Do you have sources? Do you cite your information? Is it original, or repeating things that have been repeated 500 times?”
His verdict: “A lot of the core signals are still extremely valid and extremely useful.”
What Content Creators Should Do Now
Stein’s advice is straightforward but powerful:
“Think about what people are using AI for. This is an expansionary moment. People are asking a lot more questions now, particularly around advice, how-to, or more complex needs versus simple things.”
The opportunity areas:
- Advice content
- How-to guides
- Complex, nuanced topics
The strategic question for creators: “What kind of content is someone using AI for? And how could my content be the best for that given set of needs?”
This isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about understanding that AI searches represent new demand for content. More questions are being asked. That means more opportunities to provide answers.
How Google’s AI Differs From Competitors
AI Mode isn’t trying to be everything to everyone. While ChatGPT positions itself as a general-purpose assistant, Google’s AI has a focused mission.
Stein was clear about the boundaries:
What Google AI Does:
- Informational queries (planning, learning, verification)
- Provides context and links
- Directs to authoritative sources
- Focuses on what people use Google for
What Google AI Doesn’t Do:
- Therapy or counseling
- Productivity tools
- Creative writing assistance
The strategy is “making an AI for what people use Google for” rather than trying to replace every tool in someone’s workflow.
The Multimodal Future: Text + Visual + Voice
Traditional search meant typing keywords. Modern search is multimodal.
Google Lens’s 70% growth isn’t a fluke. People are searching by taking photos. They’re asking questions with their voice. They’re combining text with images.
Stein emphasized that search is being rebuilt to handle “natural language questions” instead of forcing users to learn search engine language.
Think about the evolution:
- 2010: “cheap italian restaurant manhattan”
- 2025: Photo of a pasta dish + “where can I get this near me under $30?”
The second query is longer, more specific, and more natural. And AI can handle it.
Should We Call It IEO Instead?
With all this talk of AEO, GEO, and other acronyms, maybe we need a new term entirely: IEO (Information Engine Optimization).
Stein’s interview makes it clear that Google is positioning itself as the best engine for informational needs. Not the best chatbot, not the best creative assistant – the best way to get information.
For content creators, this means:
- Focus on being the best source of information for your topic
- Provide original insights (not the 501st repetition)
- Include proper sources and citations
- Satisfy user intent clearly and completely
The Bottom Line for SEO
Google Search isn’t shrinking. It’s expanding through multimodal searches.
The core ranking signals haven’t disappeared – they’ve evolved. User intent still matters. Originality still matters. Sources still matter. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) still matters.
What’s changed is the interface. People are asking questions naturally instead of typing keywords. They’re using photos instead of just text. They’re having conversations instead of single queries.
The opportunity is massive. More questions mean more content needs. More complex queries mean more room for nuanced, expert answers. More conversational searches mean more chances to connect with users seeking real help.
AI hasn’t killed SEO. It’s created a new era where quality content, genuine expertise, and user-focused strategy matter more than ever.
As Stein put it: “There’s actually just more and more questions being asked and curiosity that can be fulfilled now with AI. That’s where you get the growth.”
For content creators paying attention, that growth represents opportunity – not threat.
Note: This article synthesizes insights from Robby Stein’s interview on Lenny’s Podcast, published October 13, 2025 on Search Engine Land.