Is SEO actually dead?
The short answer
No. SEO still matters, but ranking and getting a click are now only part of the job.
What changed
Bain and Company found that on traditional search engines, about 60% of searches now end without the user going on to another site (February 2025).
G2 found that 51% of B2B software buyers start their research with an AI chatbot more often than Google (survey run March 2026).
So more people get their answer on the results page, or from an AI assistant, without visiting your site.
Why SEO still matters
Many AI assistants search Google or Bing before they answer. ChatGPT search draws on Bing, and Google's AI Overviews draw on Google's index. If search engines cannot find and read your site, AI has less to find about you.
So the basics still count: a site search engines can crawl, pages that answer real questions, correct business details, and mentions on sites your industry trusts.
What is different now
The question is no longer only "Do we rank?" It is also "When someone asks AI, does it name us, and what does it say?" You have to check that directly, because a page one ranking does not mean AI mentions you.
The limit of this data
The G2 figure covers B2B software buyers. Bain's release describes consumers' searches in general. Local and consumer buying may differ.
Want to know what AI says about your business? See our AI visibility audit or all services.