HubSpot’s 2026 AI marketing predictions contain two numbers that frame the year ahead: 64% of organisations now use AI, and 40.6% of marketers are updating their SEO strategy specifically for AI-powered search. The first figure tells us AI is no longer a fringe tool. The second tells us marketers are starting to treat AI search as a distinct discipline.
That discipline is sometimes called answer engine optimisation, or AEO. The idea is simple but important. Traditional SEO optimises pages to rank in a list of results. AEO optimises content to be selected as the answer inside an AI-generated summary, chat response or voice result.
Why the strategy update is happening now
For most of the last decade, SEO strategy could reasonably assume that higher rankings led to more traffic. AI-powered search breaks that assumption because the answer may appear without the user ever visiting a page. A page can rank well and still be bypassed by a concise, accurate summary.
Marketers are responding by asking a different question. Instead of “how do we rank higher?” they are asking “how do we become the source the AI quotes?” That changes keyword targeting, content structure, measurement and even the definition of authority.
What answer engine optimisation involves
At its core, AEO is about being quotable. Content that answers a specific question clearly and credibly is more likely to be used by AI systems. This usually means:
- Direct answers near the top of the page.
- Structured formatting with headings, lists and tables.
- Accurate, current facts supported by evidence.
- Topical depth that signals expertise.
- Consistent messaging across the site.
It also means accepting that some traffic will not come through a click. Visibility may instead be measured by citations, brand mentions in answers, and the quality of the visitors who do arrive.
The broader AI marketing context
The 64% adoption figure matters because AI is now embedded in content creation, email, analytics, advertising and customer service. Marketers are using AI to produce drafts, analyse performance, personalise campaigns and automate reporting. The risk is that efficiency gains mask strategic drift.
Updating SEO strategy for AI-powered search is one way to keep strategy aligned with behaviour. It recognises that the audience is using AI to find answers, and that marketing needs to be present in those answers, not just in the traditional results below them.
What to do next
If your SEO strategy has not been reviewed in the last year, start with a simple mapping exercise. Identify your highest-value question queries, check how they appear in AI search tools, and decide whether your current pages are built to be cited. Then update a small number of priority pages rather than attempting a wholesale rewrite.