Surprise! AI Isn’t Going Anywhere… but People Don’t Quite Trust it Yet.

• A recent study produced by Yext and Researchscape surveyed more than 2,200 people in the US, UK, France and Germany about how they use AI. Some of the results are quite interesting.
• 75% of consumers use AI search tools more than they did a year ago, with 43% using them daily.
• Nearly two-thirds (62%) of consumers trust AI to guide brand choices, the same as traditional search. However…
  • Only 10% trust the first AI result
  • 48% verify answers across multiple platforms
  • 40% struggle with nuanced queries, and
  • 37% are concerned with a lack of trustworthy sources
• The study goes further to identify six “search archetypes” and shows how consumers fragment their searches across AI, search engines, and social platforms.
  • 68% of consumers use AI for local product or service research but only 19% trust AI results versus 45% for search engines.
  • Conversational AI leads traditional search for summaries (46%), creative ideas (39%), product/service details (45%), and how-to guidance (44%).
  • But search engines still dominate product/service details (70%) and business info (63%), while social is still king for reviews (48%).
• There are also distinct generational breakdowns in the use of AI:
  • Millennials mix AI and search for quick clarity and detailed info
  • Gen Z tends to lean on AI for brainstorming (48%)
  • Gen X uses AI for context and summaries but sticks with search engines (70%) for general knowledge
  • Boomers rely on search engines (80%) and largely avoid AI

What to Expect from WordPress 6.9 This December

• WordPress 6.9 is scheduled for December 2, 2025, marking the second major release of the year.
• Only one major release had been planned for 2025, but the roadmap was expanded thanks to a recent increase in contributors.
• There will not be a new default theme with this release. 
• Some of the highlights of WordPress 6.9 include:
  • The Site Editor is getting a simplified editing mode that prioritizes content updates while allowing users to switch to full styling tools when needed. 
  • A new block-hiding feature will let users hide blocks on the frontend while keeping them editable in the backend, which is ideal for revamping content on live pages.
  • Block-level commenting is being introduced to support collaborative editing. 
  • The Command Palette is expanding to offer universal navigation and action shortcuts and serve as a foundation for future AI integrations. 
  • Performance improvements will deliver faster page transitions, smarter resource loading, optimized buffering, and improved CSS/JS handling. 
  • Developer-focused updates include the introduction of the Abilities API, enhancements to the Interactivity API, and refinements to the Block Bindings and HTML APIs. 
• One interesting note is a proposal made last week by Jenni McKinnon on using AI to create end user documentation.

What GEO and AEO Mean for Your Client’s SEO and Google AI Rankings

• Generative engine optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are emerging as a significant shifts in SEO.
• If these are new terms for you, Pathfinder SEO’s Michael Lykins has a helpful article and video to help you sort out the alphabet soup.
• While links still matter in GEO, brand mentions provide crucial context and authority for AI search tools, and could play as much of a role in ranking as traditional link building.
• Effective GEO strategies include targeted PR, high-quality content, influencer marketing, and authentic participation in online communities to generate natural mentions.
• The good news is that if you’re doing SEO well, you’re probably in a good position already to have your content featured in AI search results like Google’s Key Takeaways.
• In fact, Google’s Gary Ilyes recently clarified that appearing in AI Overviews does not require GEO or new tactics, but rather normal SEO practices.
• In other words, staying focused on proven SEO strategies is still the safest path forward.

Worth a Look

• Unleash the Wapuu is a new card game from Marcus Burnette and the WP World.
• Jeff Starr has added more than 75 new bots to his Ultimate Block List to Stop AI Bots.
• Kevin Geary talks about the architecture crisis in WordPress – what is a theme anyway? And some additional thoughts on the topic from David McCan.
• Solid advice on dialing in your Google Ads copy.
• Get ready to start seeing WordPress implementations of Apple’s Liquid Glass design all over the place. Here’s one from ElementsKit.