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Search Off the Record takes you behind the scenes of Google Search and its inner workings! In each episode, the folks from the Search Relations team will give you background info on the decision-making behind launches, feature prioritization in Search Console, and the projects Google Search teams are working on. They will share fun stories from the many conferences they attend as well as from their day-to-day working life at Google. They will also dive into the currently trending conversations in the SEO community at large. Have a listen!

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  2. How AI Is Changing Google Search and SEO

How AI Is Changing Google Search and SEO

May 1, 2026

In this episode of Search Off the Record, Martin speaks with Nikola Todorovic (director of Software Engineering at Google Search) about how AI is changing Google Search. They discuss the evolution from traditional search to AI Overviews and AI Mode, how Google tests and launches search changes, and why query behaviour is becoming more conversational and complex.

Nikola also explains the role of machine learning in Search, how features are evaluated before launch, and what site owners and SEOs should focus on as AI becomes a bigger part of the search experience. If you work in SEO or web development, this episode offers a clear look at how Google approaches AI in Search and what it means for the future of search visibility.

Episode transcript → https://goo.gle/sotr109-transcript

Listen to more Search Off the Record → https://goo.gle/sotr-yt  

Subscribe to Google Search Channel → https://goo.gle/SearchCentral 

Search Off the Record is a podcast series that takes you behind the scenes of Google Search with the Search Relations team.

 #SOTRpodcast #SEO #GoogleSearch

Speakers: Martin Splitt, Nikola Todorovic