Artificial intelligence is transforming everything, including the way government decision-makers search for information. The rise of AI-powered search tools is already influencing how public sector audiences discover, evaluate, and act on content.

Oh great. Another thing to master!

Well, yes and no.

The smartest move right now is understanding how your audience behaves so your brand stays visible, findable, and trusted.

AI Search Is Emerging, but Not Yet Dominant

Our 2025 Media Engagement Study shows that most public sector employees still rely on traditional search engines. That’s good news.

However, about one in five already use AI-enabled search regularly. Another 25% can’t use AI search at work because their agencies block it.

That 20% adoption may seem small, but it’s only going up. Security concerns, skepticism about accuracy, and a lack of familiarity are slowing adoption today. However, as AI search becomes embedded in browsers, platforms, and workflows, federal buyers will inevitably engage with it (whether by choice or by necessity).

How Government Users Engage With AI Search

When the public sector uses AI-powered search, their behaviors split into distinct patterns:

• Summary skimmers: Read the AI-generated summary and stop there. (They may never see your content.)
   
• Summary clickers: Follow the links embedded in summaries, making it critical that your content appears up front in the AI overview.
   
• Double-checkers: Read the AI summary, then scroll down to validate against traditional search results.
   
• SEO loyalists: Skip the AI summary entirely and click directly into traditional listings.

This mix highlights both risk and opportunity. If your content isn’t included in AI summaries, you risk being bypassed completely.

From SEO to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

Traditional SEO still matters. But AI search introduces a new challenge: generative engine optimization (GEO). The goal is no longer just ranking high in search results; it’s ensuring your insights get pulled into AI-generated summaries.

So what works? Structuring content so it’s easy for generative models to scrape and cite. According to Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatGPT, the recipe is straightforward:

• Writing in question-and-answer formats.
   
• Using clear, factual statements that read like solutions, not marketing copy.
   
• Backing up claims with expert references and credible sources.
   
• Producing content that feels educational and unbiased, since AI systems are tuned to elevate trustworthy, authoritative material.

Sounds suspiciously familiar? It’s the content discipline we’ve recommended for years. The difference now is format and visibility.

What This Means for B2G Marketers

To capture attention from both humans and AI, the data points to three imperatives:

• Elevate SME voices. Public sector audiences trust subject matter experts more than brands. Featuring SMEs makes your content more authoritative.
   
• Credibility is non-negotiable. Buyers already doubt vendor-produced content; AI tools will only amplify that skepticism. Facts, data, and partnerships with associations or trade publications can reinforce trust.
   
• Think beyond SEO. GEO isn’t about gaming the algorithm. It’s about aligning with how the audience actually asks questions and seeks answers. Think like a human in order to appeal to AI.

AI-enabled search won’t replace traditional search overnight, but it’s already changing the playing field.

Now is the time to adapt by anticipating the questions buyers are asking and positioning your brand as the credible answer.

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