When GPT-4 launched in March 2023, it was the first time many marketers realised that search might not be confined to Google forever. GPT-5, released in August 2025, makes that shift feel permanent.
It is not just a better chatbot – it is a new search layer, with its own retrieval system, ranking logic, and bias towards certain content types.
How does GPT-5 change SEO and visibility?
OpenAI has improved reasoning, accuracy, and long-context handling in GPT-5, but the more important change for SEO is behind the scenes.
The search experience is faster, citations are cleaner, and sources feel more intentionally selected. It is also more agent like – able to follow instructions across multiple steps – but the most impactful change is how it retrieves and ranks results.
How GPT-5 search actually works
If you assume GPT-5 is just passing your query to Google or Bing, things are in reality a bit more complex than that.
- GPT-5 almost certainly uses a proprietary meta layer rather than raw SERP feeds go get its results.
- Results seem to sometimes overlap more with Bing results than Google, but whilst also pulling from lots of other sources, re-ranking, changing the order of things etc. So it does not always mirror the search engine results page.
- It appears not to be able to access live Google search results page, but it does seem to be able to access a Bing SERP if provided an exact URL.
Have a read of this great round up by Josh from Profound for more technical insights.
Why GPT-5 matters for SEO
With GPT-5 it seems more apparent than ever that there is not always a link between ranking highly on Google and being visible in AI results.
Optimisation for SEO/AEO/GEO now means thinking about AI search as a standalone channel – one where:
- Authority is measured across multiple engines and ecosystems.
- Content must be easily parsed, summarised, and cited by an LLM.
- Being present on other trusted domains can matter as much as your own site.
- Structured, context-rich content outperforms thin keyword-driven pages.
The risk of AI search for marketers
Zero click behaviour is likely to intensify. GPT-5’s improved answers mean users may never need to visit the source. That puts more pressure on measuring exposure in generative answers, not just traffic/clicks.
It also means you cannot assume that you will be highly visible in AI tools like ChatGPT even if your traditional SEO rankings stay strong – because the ranking logic is not exactly the same.
GPT-5 is not simply a better ChatGPT – it is a more sophisticated search engine in its own right, with a proprietary retrieval and ranking layer. Whilst it’s still important to focus on SEO, the mindset shift, approach to measurement and more granular Answer Engine Optimisation/Generative Engine Optimisation approaches are key.