How does AI affect SEO in the coming years?

Only time will tell, but we can speculate.

My guess would be that we will experience new level of search experience. We're already headed there as many people prefer to ask GPTs than using Google. However, fact checking is still a big issue and even though getting better, there's no easy way to make things 100% accurate.

The content generated by AI will be harder to distinguish, watermarking is already being used... it will be vital for LLMs and search engines to exclude AI generated data from their training/learning data set. Otherwise it won't get better but actually worse.

All of that affects SEO big time. Average web traffic, specially organic SE traffic will likely go down as people will find what they are looking for directly in search engines.

We will see.

AI is already making a big impact on SEO, and this increases day by day. AI-powered search engines, like Google, use machine learning to better understand user intent, making search results more relevant. This means SEO will need to focus more on user experience and intent.

AI is set to revolutionize SEO by enhancing search algorithms, improving content relevance, and automating optimization tasks. It will lead to more personalized search results and advanced data analysis capabilities.

AI is raising the bar, making SEO more competitive. SEO professionals can't ignore it, only can think how to use it. AI is helpful in crafting a rich UX content. It can be helpful at the every step of on-page and off-page SEO.

At the same time, AI can't replace human being. It requires human touches. It is a tool to empower human being and not to replace. Human intelligence will always remain in demand. Such tools can make lesser experienced SEO professionals challenging their seniors in terms of results.

We are moving towards a better world.

AI will significantly shape SEO in the coming years by enhancing content creation and improving user experiences through personalized interactions. As search engines refine their algorithms, understanding context and user intent will become paramount, shifting focus from keywords to topics. Voice search optimization will gain importance, requiring natural language alignment in content. AI will also automate routine SEO tasks, allowing professionals to concentrate on strategic initiatives. Additionally, advancements in image and video recognition will impact multimedia indexing. Overall, SEO will evolve to be more dynamic and user-centric, with AI driving content strategies and search performance.