In a revealing interview conducted in April 2026, Oded Ouaknine, Chief Revenue Officer of the website building platform Duda, unveils groundbreaking research on the impact of artificial intelligence on website traffic. Contrary to the common notion that AI technologies reduce human engagement on websites, the study Ouaknine highlights presents a striking and paradoxical finding: websites optimized strategically for AI crawlers are seeing a substantial rise in visitor numbers and user interactions. The research indicates an impressive 320% increase in human visits to AI-optimized websites compared to their non-optimized counterparts. Alongside this surge in traffic, these sites experience a 2. 7-fold increase in form submissions, leading directly to greater lead generation and potential customer acquisition. Additionally, there is a 2. 5 times boost in click-to-call actions, signifying deeper user engagement and stronger intent to connect with businesses. This trend marks a significant shift from traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to a more sophisticated and nuanced approach called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Ouaknine explains that this evolution is driven primarily by AI-powered overview features integrated into major search platforms like Google, which curate and present information tailored to users’ growing demand for quick, accurate, and relevant answers. According to Ouaknine, AI-generated search results tend to be more selective, emphasizing user intent rather than volume of information. As a result, these searches deliver fewer visits but with much higher conversion potential.

This means users arrive at websites better informed, having already interacted with AI tools via preliminary research and filtering. Consequently, sites that align their content strategy with the informational needs expressed in user queries stand to benefit most in this changing digital landscape. For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) especially, this presents new opportunities to compete effectively against larger corporations by optimizing content to directly respond to common user questions. Ouaknine stresses the importance for businesses to expand their website content both in scope and depth, thoroughly addressing a wide range of customer inquiries and scenarios. Doing so increases the chances of being favored by AI algorithms, thus enhancing online visibility. Agencies supporting SMBs are encouraged to adopt a consultative role, guiding clients through the complexities of AI integration in marketing strategies. Ouaknine advises embracing bulk content creation tools along with agentic workflows—systems that enable autonomous content generation and management—to efficiently scale optimization efforts across many client websites. Ultimately, Oded Ouaknine highlights AI’s growing role as a gatekeeper for online visibility and user acquisition. Businesses that fail to adapt risk losing their competitive edge in digital marketplaces. Embracing AI not merely as a technological trend but as a fundamental element of web strategy is vital for sustained growth and relevance in the coming years. The insights shared in this interview challenge existing assumptions about AI’s function in digital marketing and encourage a proactive approach to harnessing AI-driven tools. Companies that understand and implement Answer Engine Optimization are poised to gain substantial advantages in engagement, conversion rates, and overall web presence, ushering in a new era in the evolution of search and user experience.