At Hike, we get asked a lot about whether Google AI Mode is the future of search. It's a fair question. Google itself has suggested multiple times this year that AI Mode (or whatever it eventually becomes) is central to their vision.
AI mode is a search experience powered by the Gemini family of AI models. It provides conversational or multimodal responses (text, images, audio or video) that summarize information and help complete tasks, unlike standard search.
Conversational vs. Multimodal
You would recognise conversational interactions from tools such as ChatGPT and Claude. Users can ask questions conversationally and follow up with more questions to refine the search. AI mode remembers the context of previous queries to provide relevant answers.
A multimodal response differs - for a user's query like what is this problem and how do I fix it accompanied by a picture of a leaky tap, a multimodal AI would: Analyze the input and process the text and image simultaneously to understand the request. Synthesize information - combining its analysis with information from its training data and then generate a response.
It's a dynamic year for search and AI mode and AI overviews offer a step change in what to expect from Google. But with over 20 years in the SEO game, here's our take: the AI Mode you see today isn't the version we'll be living with in the long run. Just like the early days of Google Search were nothing like the rich, multi-layered results we see now, AI Mode is at the very beginning of its journey.
We believe the future of search will combine the best of AI answers with the best of what makes Google Search powerful: links, exploration, multimedia, and discovery. And that has important implications for small businesses.
AI Mode Today: Helpful, But Not the Whole Picture
AI Mode can be brilliant in the right context. Ask it a how-to question, or look for a quick explainer, and you'll often get exactly what you need without scrolling through multiple pages.
But not every search is the same. Take these examples:
- Best plumber near me - You want local businesses, reviews, and directions. This is where local SEO becomes critical for your business visibility.
- Christmas gifts 2025 - You want images, prices, shops, and variety.
- Café opening times Sunday NW1 - You want maps, hours, maybe even live updates. Small businesses can leverage Google My Business optimization to capture these searches.
In these cases, users want the internet experience: browsing, comparing, clicking, and exploring.
Google itself recently revealed that people actually like clicking links inside AI Mode. That's no surprise to us. Google's mission has always been to connect people with the web and searchers like using the web, not just reading one answer.
Search Is About Exploration
One thing we stress to our customers: search isn't only about answers. It's about discovery.
When someone searches for your product or service, they're not always after one final answer.
They might want to:
- Compare providers.
- Read reviews.
- Check a business's website for opening times.
- Scroll through product images.
- Fall into a rabbit hole of inspiration.
AI Mode in its current form can shortcut the process, but it doesn't fully replicate it. And that's why we think it will evolve. Google knows users value the richness of the web that's why search has never just been about ten blue links.
Where We Think AI Mode Is Heading
Based on what we've seen (and Google's incentives), here's how we think AI Mode will develop:
1. More Links, Not Fewer
Expect AI Mode to become more of a jumping-off point, with richer, more prominent links to websites. That keeps Google aligned with its core job: connecting people with businesses like yours.
2. Rich Media Built In
Search isn't just text. Google has 25+ years of indexing images, videos, shopping results, maps, and more. AI Mode will eventually showcase that variety inside the answer box.
3. Personalisation
AI Mode will likely get more personal over time - tailoring recommendations to your search history, location, and preferences. That means small businesses could benefit from showing up for hyper-local or niche audiences in ways they haven't before.
4. Conversational Refinement
We expect Google to make it easier to refine your search inside AI Mode, much like ChatGPT. But unlike ChatGPT, it will stay anchored to the open web - meaning the small businesses who invest in on-site SEO will show up and matter even more.
5. Integration with Ads
Let's be realistic: ads are Google's lifeblood. AI Mode will need to incorporate sponsored results in a way that feels useful, not distracting. That could mean AI-curated product comparisons or local service ads embedded into answers.
Why This Matters for Small Businesses
For small businesses, the key message is this: AI Mode doesn't remove the need to be visible in search. In fact, it makes it more important.
When AI Mode pulls together its answers, it still relies on underlying websites and sources. If your site isn't optimised, you risk being invisible. Both in classic search results and in future AI-enhanced summaries.
Think about it this way:
- If Google is going to surface the best cafés in NW1 in AI Mode, it will lean on reviews, business listings, and social and SEO signals.
- If it's recommending best handmade jewellery gifts, it will look for sites that rank well, have strong product pages, and provide clear, trustworthy content.
In short: the fundamentals of SEO strategy won't go away. They'll just feed into a new layer of search.
Our Perspective at Hike
We see AI Mode as an opportunity, not a threat.
Why? Because the principles we already teach and automate inside Hike - optimising your website, targeting the right keywords, creating content, managing your Google Business Profile - are exactly the foundations Google's AI will rely on.
And for small businesses, this is good news. If you get the basics right now, you'll be in the mix when AI Mode becomes mainstream. If you wait, you'll risk being invisible in both traditional results and AI answers.
Early Days, Big Potential
Just like Google Maps started as static maps and grew into Street View, live traffic, and predictive routing, AI Mode will get richer, smarter, and more user-focused over time.
Right now, it's easy to panic and assume AI will replace everything. But our advice is simple:
- Don't think of AI Mode as the end of search.
- Think of it as the next chapter.
A chapter where being visible online is more critical than ever because AI Mode will surface the businesses that are already doing SEO well.
Final Thoughts
At Hike, we believe AI Mode will be the future of search but not in its current form.
It won't just be a box of text. It will be:
- A hub for links, media, and exploration.
- A personalised, interactive experience.
- A space where small businesses can show up in powerful new ways.
Our job is to make sure your business is ready for that.
Because whether it's ten blue links, featured snippets, or AI-powered answers one thing never changes: customers need to find you.
And with Hike, we'll help make sure they do. We're evolving into a world where it's less about Search Engine Optimisation and more about Search Everywhere Optimisation.
We're on that journey with you.
About the author
Kieran Headley
Co-Founder
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