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AI-Driven Search: What You Need to Know in 2026

Jun 18, 2026

The search box you built your business on is being replaced by AI. Google searches and result click-throughs are dropping. Here's what's actually happening, and what you can do about it.

The statistics show the change, and it keeps increasing.

Let’s start by looking at ChatGPT. It went from 300 million weekly users in December 2024 to over 900 million by early 2026 (OpenAI usage disclosures, March 2026). Roughly triple, in 18 months. The Cotality 2026 AI in Housing Report found 37% of consumers now begin their search in an AI tool instead of Google.

Even Google searches are shrinking: the Orbit Media AI vs. Google study put its share of all information-discovery sessions at 57.6% in December 2025, down from 89.3% in December 2022.

When Google shows an AI Overview above the regular results, click-through to the #1 organic link drops 58% (Seer Interactive AI Overview CTR Study, December 2025). In its newer AI Mode, 93% of searches end with no click at all. People get their answer and never visit a website.

Before this shift, your whole online strategy was built on Google rankings and social media. That's changing every month.

AI not only changed where people search, but how they search too. Instead of using keywords to return a set of possible matches people are asking a question that returns one answer.

People take the path of least resistance. Too many options mean delays; a short list makes the choice easy, so they go with it. That one answer sets the first impression, and because AI feels neutral, people trust it.

According to NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, more than half of buyers do not shop around for agents and only interview one.

What Makes AI Cite You

Old MacDonald had a farm… SEO, AEO, GEO – I think that’s how the classic nursery rhyme went, right?
SEO gets you on the list. AEO makes you the answer. GEO makes you the source AI trusts.

For the past 25 years, the process was the same: optimize for Google, rank on page one, wait for the phone to ring.

That still matters, but it's only part of it now. AEO and GEO are just as important as SEO, and SEO itself is changing fast.

All three come down to the same thing: answer real questions, back it with specific data, and build a presence AI can verify.

AI runs on credibility. That was always the goal, but now it's more objective. It leans on quotes, hard numbers, and cited sources to decide who to trust. Research from HubSpot's 2026 Answer Engine Optimization study identified the content AI systems are most likely to cite:

Expert Quotes: Include your own analysis with your name and credentials attached.

Statistics & Data: Use specific numbers: "median up 8.2% YoY" not "the market is hot."

Cited Sources: Reference NAR, NYSAR, OneKey MLS and local market reports in your content.

Specifics will get you cited. Vague gets you skipped. The good news is you don't need to be a tech expert to get started. Pick one of these tasks and start today.

Optimize Your Google Business Profile
Post once a week in a question-and-answer style, using real market numbers. Google feeds these into AI Overviews. Most agents never post here so use it to your advantage.

Write One FAQ Blog Post
Take the question buyers ask you most and answer it in about 1,500 words. Lead with the answer. It can start pulling AI citations in 30 to 60 days.

Push Your Review Count Up
AI takes reviews into account by looking at how many there are and how good they are when it recommends an agent. NAR found 35% of sellers rank reputation as a top deciding factor when choosing an agent. Ask for a review at every closing.

Post Short Social Media Videos With Captions
AI reads the captions as content. A quick 60-second neighborhood update beats a polished report nobody sees. Your phone is all you need.

Show Up on LinkedIn and Reddit
AI leans on both when it builds answers. Jump into r/RealEstate or r/LongIslandRealEstate and LinkedIn and share your take on the Long Island market.

At the end of the day, real estate is personal. It’s a one-on-one, face-to-face business built on trust and will not be easily replaced by robots. But AI is impacting the industry and providing new tools and new ways of being found. So just like you have done before, it is time to adapt and lean into the new technology to be successful in your business, and LIBOR is here to help you along the way.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out by email to ai@lirealtor.com.

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AI-Driven Search: What You Need to Know in 2026

Before this shift, your whole online strategy was built on Google rankings and social media. That's changing every month.

What Makes AI Cite You

Before this shift, your whole online strategy was built on Google rankings and social media. That's changing every month.