Voices of Search // A Search Engine Optimization (SEO) & Content Marketing Podcast Ahref's State of SEO
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Feb 18, 2026 Patrick Stox, Product Advisor at Ahrefs with 20+ years in enterprise technical SEO, automation, and product-led tooling. He talks about AI automating technical fixes and reshaping content strategy. You’ll hear about real-time site auditing that repairs canonicals and links at the edge. They discuss shifting focus toward product-led content, reputation, and using internal data to create better material.
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AI Will Shrink Routine SEO Roles
- Patrick Stox says AI-driven automation will drastically reduce headcount for routine SEO tasks within a few years.
- He warns this could disrupt hiring pipelines and force experienced practitioners to adapt or outcompete newcomers.
Top-Funnel Clicks Will Drop To AI Overviews
- Patrick Stox explains AI assistants will answer top-funnel queries, reducing clicks to blogs and informational pages.
- He says companies must pivot to product-led signals and reputation to remain visible to AI systems.
AI Citation Bloat Will Be Curbed
- AI systems currently cite many sources, but publishers and sites may revolt as traffic drops, forcing AI to trust fewer authoritative sites.
- Signals like links and user behavior will regain importance when AI narrows its citations.