The Google Monopoly is Over: Why Marketing Needs a New Strategy for ‘AI-Facing’ Assets
While much of the ad industry is focused on using AI to make creatives faster, the real revolution is happening in consumer behaviour. That’s why Martin Bertilsson, Ruhbir Singh, and Prabhvir Sahmey have launched the AI & Ads Mixer India—a forum to navigate the biggest transformation of the commercial internet since its inception
A Reality Check for the Industry
The group held its inaugural session in Mumbai recently. Approximately 30 participants from diverse verticals attended. They gathered to “level set” on the market’s current reality.
The industry currently focuses on AI for creative speed or efficiency. The founders argue this focus is misplaced. The real revolution lies in changing consumer behavior. This shift places $500 billion of digital ad spend at risk. Another $1.5 trillion in commerce fees is also at stake.
The Decline of “Blue Link” Search
A central theme of the session was the end of the search monopoly. Over 1 billion consumers now use AI-based answers. They prefer these tools over traditional search engines. Consequently, the “blue link” era is fading fast.
Participants discussed the “Zeroclick” phenomenon. In this model, AI summarizes information for the user. Users no longer need to visit source websites. This trend already cuts into web traffic. Projections suggest 50% of current traffic could disappear.
Data from Ahrefs illustrates the declining page indexation across India’s top news portals.
From SEO to AEO
The forum highlighted a major shift in marketing tools. Traditional methods are becoming obsolete. We are witnessing a transition from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to new formats. Marketers must now embrace AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
The Rise of Agentic Shopping
The group also debated “Agentic Shopping”. AI agents can now transact directly with each other. This development threatens traditional aggregators. Middle-men like travel booking sites face an existential crisis. If agents transact directly, human-facing layers become unnecessary.
The industry is moving from a manual “Search & Evaluate” model to an automated “Agentic Shopping” reality.
Redrawing the LUMASCAPE
The session proposed a redraw of the famous “LUMASCAPE”. The founders presented a new framework for the industry. Marketing assets now fall into two distinct categories:
- Human-Facing Assets: This includes traditional brand and performance media.
- AI-Facing Assets: This includes “Paid AI,” “AI Interfaces,” and “AEO Tools”.
These new assets influence the algorithms and agents that now act as gatekeepers.
A proposed framework for dividing marketing assets between Human-Facing and AI-Facing channels.
Roadmap for the Future
Founders Bertilsson, Singh, and Sahmey identified a need for debate. They established this forum to foster learning among experts. The Mumbai event served as a foundation. They plan to expand the Mixer to other Indian cities. Future sessions will cover specific verticals. Topics will include retail media, AdTech, and agent-based commerce.