The impact of AI on the future of link building: what you need to know

AI is still relatively new, but since its rise it has become impossible to ignore. You can use AI for countless purposes: writing content, generating images, analyzing data, and more. And yes, AI also plays a big role in the world of backlinks. But does it make a good match, does it fall short, or will AI completely change the way traditional search results appear? In this blog, we’ll break down the impact of AI on the future of link building.

AI in link building: what are we really talking about?

AI can perform many tasks faster and more efficiently. Great for users, but what does this mean for traditional link building and SEO? And what still matters in this changing landscape?

1. Tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overview, and Google AI Mode

There are many AI tools out there. Take ChatGPT, for example—easily one of the most well-known. ChatGPT can generate AI content, conduct in-depth research, and pretty much always provide an answer to your question. It pulls its knowledge from web-based sources.

Google has also introduced AI directly into search. When you enter a query, you’ll often see an AI Overview at the top of the results. Soon, Google will even roll out Google AI Mode, a model that allows you to have conversations with the search engine to dive even deeper into your question.

Sounds handy, but is it actually good for your SEO strategy? After all, you want your site to rank at the top of Google, but now Google is prominently placing an AI-generated answer in front of users. So, is link building still important in the age of AI models? Let’s dive in.

Are backlinks still relevant?

According to research by Ahrefs, clicks have decreased by 34.5%. Not surprising—if a question is already answered in the overview, why click through to a website? So what happens to your number one position? You still want to hold onto it, right?

The same study found that there’s a 25% chance your top-ranking page will be used as a source in an AI Overview. That means visibility in Google can also translate to visibility within AI answers, as your content could be cited as a trusted source.

Semrush confirms that earning organic backlinks is still very much essential. Quality and credibility are key here. Pages with strong backlinks are more likely to be cached, displayed, and crawled by AI models. Make sure your anchor texts are always relevant to the content they’re placed in.

So, what’s next?

Backlinks still play a major role in visibility, both in Google and within AI-generated content. A first-place ranking can also make your site a go-to source in AI Overviews, bringing users to your site indirectly and boosting your online visibility. In other words: link building is far from dead. In fact, you can even use AI to strengthen your link building strategy.

2. Using AI to acquire backlinks

That number one ranking remains crucial, and backlinks are still part of the equation. A solid link building strategy is a must and yes, AI can definitely help, as long as you stay in control.

Here are a few ways you can use AI within your strategy:

• Finding relevant websites
• Filtering backlinks
• Writing drafts for blogs or outreach emails
• Spotting patterns in successful link profiles

AI tools can process and analyze massive amounts of data at lightning speed, helping you identify relevant sites more efficiently.

AI can also provide helpful suggestions. For example, ideas for anchor texts or blog topics. Stuck for inspiration? Simply ask AI to brainstorm subject lines or outlines, and refine them with your own input.

And while AI can write entire blog posts, it’s usually smarter to use it as a support tool, whether for outlines, drafts, or inspiration.

3. Where AI still falls short

AI can handle a lot, but it has its limits.

It doesn’t understand context or nuance in outreach. It struggles to add a human touch to content, which often results in generic or easily recognizable AI-generated text—the kind of content you definitely want to avoid. Google is increasingly able to spot AI patterns, which can hurt your site, especially in an SEO world where E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is more important than ever.

AI can also produce unreliable data or poor suggestions if your prompts are vague. That’s why it’s best used as inspiration, not as a finished product. And let’s not forget—AI has no personal network and can’t build relationships. Outreach and relationship management will always require a human touch.

While AI can filter potential backlinks, you’re still responsible for deciding whether a link truly adds value.

Practical tips

Backlinks are still a cornerstone of SEO, and AI can be a powerful ally—if you use it wisely.

• Use AI for data analysis and efficiency, but don’t hand over the final decision.
• Let AI draft outlines or concept texts, then edit and finalize them yourself.
• Always evaluate whether a backlink is genuinely valuable.

Backlinks remain essential

Even in the age of AI, backlinks are still key. The focus is on relevant, unique, and high-quality links. Luckily, finding them doesn’t have to be complicated—platforms like Popi make the process easy.

Popi is a link building platform with thousands of opportunities. You can filter by categories that matter to you, ensuring the backlinks you purchase are both relevant to the site they’re placed on and to your own website.

Want to speed up your link building efforts? Sign up for Popi today, create your account, and start boosting your site’s performance right away.