The Real Risk Isn’t AI—It’s Ignoring the Change
Many business owners fear AI will replace them by simply providing users with "the answer"—cutting them out of the customer journey altogether. But that fear isn’t new. We’ve heard similar concerns when Google introduced featured snippets, knowledge panels, and direct answers in search results.
And yet, SEO continues to drive billions of dollars in traffic.
The truth is, the businesses getting left behind aren’t being defeated by AI—they’re being ignored because they haven’t adapted.
What Sam Altman’s Vision Means for Your Business
In a recent podcast with Lex Fridman, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he doesn’t foresee paid ads entering ChatGPT’s results. Instead, he wants AI to provide the best, most accurate answer possible.
That’s a huge opportunity for small businesses.
Because if the game isn’t pay-to-play, then the businesses that win in this new world are the ones with the most helpful content, the clearest structure, and the most relevant expertise.
Turning Fear into Opportunity: How to Benefit from AI
AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Grok are already influencing how users discover businesses—and they reward content that:
- Directly answers questions
- Demonstrates trust and authority
- Is interconnected and easy to crawl
If your business has a helpful blog, clean internal linking, and answers real user questions with clarity and confidence, you’re not at risk. You’re ahead.
Use Case Scenarios: AI-Proof vs. At-Risk Jobs
Bricklayers. Plumbers. Electricians. These jobs aren’t going anywhere. But how people find them is changing. Fewer yellow pages. More AI recommendations.
Now compare that to a slow, outdated web designer or generic copywriter. These roles aren’t disappearing either—but the underperformers? They’re being replaced by faster, AI-assisted competition.
The high performers in every industry will remain essential. What’s changing is how they get found.
The Anatomy of AI Search Results (and Why They're Better Than Google SERPs)
A Personal Story: Finding a Better Mocha Pot
A few years ago, I traveled to Italy and fell in love with the simplicity and charm of the Bialetti Moka Pot. When I returned home, I searched Google and Amazon and quickly found one to buy. Simple as that.
Fast forward a few years—I went looking for a high-end upgrade. This time, my experience was completely different. Google fed me a carousel of sponsored listings. Most were mass-produced, made-in-China replicas of the same product, just rebranded. It felt like I was being pushed toward what advertisers wanted me to buy, not what I was actually looking for.
Frustrated, I turned to ChatGPT.
Within seconds, I discovered a whole new world of Moka pots I never knew existed—modern designs, different finishes, higher-end European models with real craftsmanship behind them. I eventually found and purchased a premium German-made chrome pot that I absolutely love. It was empowering—and a little scary.
Why? Because it made me realize how much Google had been steering my buying behavior for years.
LLM-driven tools don’t just serve ads. They find the right answer—based on my intent. That’s the future consumers are stepping into. And it’s why your business needs to be part of those results.
As you will see in the screenshots below I performed the exact same search on Chat GPT, Grok & Perplexity and all 3 not only found good results but they had clickable links to those companies websites.
Now, back to the big picture...
Here’s where it gets exciting. Unlike Google—which is crowded with ads, affiliates, and clickbait—AI tools like ChatGPT, Grok, and Perplexity give users:
- Clear, ad-free answers
- Business recommendations with real descriptions
- Context, relevance, and direct links
In side-by-side examples, Grok gave local agency info with contact details and feature highlights. Perplexity provided company strengths with source links. ChatGPT returned narrative-style summaries with clear CTAs.
This isn’t just search. It’s curated insight.
And if your site is optimized with the right structure, keywords, and intent—you can be part of those results.
The Action Plan: 5 Steps to Future-Proof Your Business
These aren't abstract tips—they're tactical moves that we've seen work across dozens of businesses. Here's what you need to be doing right now:
1. Strategic Content Optimization
Don’t write to impress Google—write to help real people. Target real questions your customers ask. Think: "How do I…?", "What’s the best…?", "Why choose…?" Use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or even ChatGPT itself to identify the exact phrases your audience is using. Then build detailed, honest content that answers those questions better than anyone else online.. Think: "How do I…?", "What’s the best…?", "Why choose…?"
2. Develop Authoritative Content Clusters
Pick one big theme—like 'Custom Home Building in Texas'—and then create 8–10 pieces that explore every angle: pricing, timeline, FAQs, materials, regulations, etc. These all link back to a pillar page, which becomes your topical authority hub. This not only boosts rankings, but also gives AI and LLMs a clear semantic map of your expertise. around your services. Interlink them. Show depth.
3. Prioritize Semantic and Internal Linking
Search engines and LLMs understand your content by how well it’s connected. Link every blog post to related content. Use descriptive anchor text like "affordable SEO packages" instead of "click here." Every link you create should reinforce your expertise in a given subject area and guide the reader deeper into your site.. Avoid orphan pages. Link every piece with purpose.
4. Optimize Your Website’s Technical SEO
Think of this as clearing a path for bots and AI. Add schema markup to your articles, reviews, products, and FAQs. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, loads fast, and has no crawl errors. Use tools like Screaming Frog or Ahrefs Site Audit to uncover technical issues and fix them fast.. Fix crawl errors. Improve speed. Help bots help you.
5. Regularly Update and Expand Content
Your blog posts aren’t evergreen unless you make them that way. Revisit top-performing content every quarter. Add new data, update examples, refresh stats, and expand sections that could go deeper. AI favors recency and relevance—and so do your customers.. Keep pages fresh, accurate, and relevant.
AI is Your Ally, Not Your Enemy
If your website is optimized, your content is helpful, and your structure is smart—AI becomes your best salesperson. It doesn’t need a commission. It just wants to deliver the best answer.
And that can be you.
In that same Lex Fridman interview, Sam Altman reminded us that the future of AI is not built around disruption for its own sake—it’s about usefulness. His dream is simple: ChatGPT and other models should just give people the most accurate, helpful answer, without manipulation or noise.
Lex responded with wonder and curiosity, not fear—and that’s what we invite you to do, too.
This isn’t about being replaced. It’s about being found. It’s about building a business that LLMs want to recommend because it’s clear, useful, honest, and aligned with what people actually want.
Together, we’re going to figure this out. One step at a time.
You’re not too late. You’re not under qualified. And you’re not alone.
We’re in this with you.
Let’s make sure your business isn’t just surviving this shift—but thriving in it.
