New research analyzing 25,000 user searches found that websites ranked #1 on Google appear in AI search answers 25% of the time.
This data demonstrates that traditional SEO remains relevant, despite claims that AI has rendered it obsolete.
Tomasz Rudzki, co-founder of ZipTie, studied real searches across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. His findings challenge the widespread belief that AI makes traditional SEO pointless.
Top Rankings Translate To AI Visibility
The data shows a clear pattern: if you rank #1 on Google, you have a 1-in-4 chance of appearing in AI search results. Lower rankings result in lower chances.
Rudzki stated:
“The higher you rank in Google’s top 10, the more likely you are to appear in AI search results across platforms. This isn’t speculation – it’s based on real queries from real users.”
The pattern holds across all major AI search platforms, suggesting that they all rely on traditional rankings when selecting sources.
How AI Search Engines Select Sources
The study detailed how AI search operates, using information from Google’s antitrust trial. The process involves three main steps:
Step 1: Pre-selection
AI systems identify the best documents for each query, favoring pages with higher Google rankings.
