WordStream's annual trends post is consistently practical — less prediction, more "what should we change in the next quarter". The 2026 edition is anchored around one stat: half of all consumers now use AI-powered search, and half of all Google searches include an AI overview.
The trends that matter operationally
- SEO becomes Search Everywhere Optimization (SEvO). Discovery is fragmented across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Bing and Meta AI.
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are the new sub-disciplines inside the SEO function.
- Paid search bidding is increasingly handed over to AI systems that adjust per impression.
- Analytics shifts from "did people click?" to "did the AI surface us, and on what queries?".
What to do about it
WordStream's most actionable advice is to pick three AI engines your customers actually use, set up a monitoring routine to track how often your brand is cited inside their answers, and treat that as a top-line KPI alongside organic traffic.
The VietMarkAI take: the easiest first step in Vietnam is to instrument brand mentions inside ChatGPT and Gemini for your top 50 commercial queries. The setup takes a day; the insight reshapes content priorities for the rest of the year.