Jason McDonald Consulting Agency Announces New Post on SEO in the Age of AI (Artificial Intelligence)

SEO explains how companies show up on Google. Nowadays, it also must explain how AI answer agents such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini create ‘answers’ for consumers.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, January 31, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ — The Jason McDonald Consulting Agency, a firm focused on search engine optimization (SEO), digital advertising, and online strategy, including expert witness services, is proud to announce a new blog post by Dr. Jason McDonald titled “What Is SEO? Why Does It Matter in Court?” Originally based in San Francisco, Jason McDonald offers services online and nationwide. The new post explains how SEO works, why it still matters today, and why it increasingly appears in litigation between companies, including but not limited to trademark cases.

“SEO explains how companies show up on Google. Nowadays, it also must explain how AI answer agents such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini create ‘answers’ for consumers,” said Dr. McDonald, Director of the Jason McDonald Consulting Agency in San Francisco. “As consumers use the new AI agents, I am seeing an uptick in inquiries over possible litigation involving AIO (Answer Agent Optimization).”

The new blog post explains SEO in plain English. Here’s the deal. SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, used to be just about Google. Google, after all, has been the dominant search engine for years. But with the rise of ChatGPT the industry is changing. SEO is evolving into what some now call AIO (Answer Agent Optimization). The emerging trend is to optimize not only for search engines but for the newer “answer agents” such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. Consumers are increasingly using “Answer Agents” vs. Google. The post investigates how and why companies need to worry about this change in SEO. The post can be viewed at https://jasonmcdonald.org/blog/2025/10/what-is-seo-why-does-it-matter-in-court/. SEO and AI (artificial intelligence). The perspective of an expert witness looking at his phone and computer.

SEO NOW INCLUDES AI AND ANSWER AGENTS
Search engines compete with AI Overviews, summaries, and “People Also Ask” answers. People also use tools like ChatGPT rather than Google. Or they use Google Gemini, Google’s own AI agent. Answer Agents decide which information to display and how it should be summarized. But here is what gives businesses heartburn. AI agents increasingly recommend which company to deal with and which product or service to buy. They are becoming “personal assistants” that help folks decide on decisions that involve a purchase.

Therefore, SEO now means optimizing not only for Google search results, but also for AI-driven answers.

Dr. Jason McDonald (https://jasonmcdonald.org/) is actively researching this industry change. His forthcoming 2026 book on SEO explains how the SEO industry can adapt to Answer Agents, AI summaries, and machine-generated responses. The book has been out for years, but the new edition will take on AI directly. The book explains how content, structure, and trust signals affect visibility in the new world of Artificial Intelligence. SEO is no longer just blue links. It is about being chosen by AI to be part of the “answer.”

Despite new technology, however, SEO can still create legal risk. Dr. McDonald has worked as an expert in search engine optimization for many years. He has experienced how companies dispute online activity by competitors. Companies pursue litigation over brand names, copied content, and misleading marketing claims. SEO data can show intent. It can also show harm. That is why SEO often appears in trademark, advertising, and unfair competition cases.

Dr. Jason McDonald also offers SEO expert witness services. As an expert witness, he helps lawyers, judges, and juries understand SEO. His expert witness services can be found at https://jasonmcdonald.org/seo-consultant/seo-expert-witness/. SEO is complicated and he urges any lawyer with an issue to reach out for a confidential consultation.

ABOUT DR. JASON MCDONALD

Dr. Jason McDonald is the Director of the JM Internet Group and a recognized authority in digital marketing. With decades of experience and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, he is the author of several top-selling books on Amazon, including the SEO Workbook, Social Media Marketing Workbook, Google Ads Workbook, and Marketing: Ultimate Almanac of Free Marketing Tools. He is also a frequent expert witness in SEO litigation and a sought-after speaker and trainer. Information on his services as an expert witness in social media marketing can be found at https://jasonmcdonald.org/seo-consultant/social-media-expert-witness/ and at https://www.seakexperts.com/members/11579-jason-mcdonald.

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