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Is AI Content Bad For SEO in 2025?

Article — There’s no doubt that AI-generated content was the hottest debated SEO topic of 2023. It's now halfway through 2025, so we thought it would be a good time to revisit this. Can AI-generated content help your website rank #1 on search engines? Is AI content bad for SEO? Let’s find out.

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14.08.2025
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Can AI content rank on Google?

Yes — AI content can rank on Google when it’s helpful, accurate and clearly answers the searcher’s question. A recent study of 600,000 webpages found no SEO penalty for AI-generated content that meets quality benchmarks. In fact, about 86% of top-ranking pages included some AI-generated text. So the real question is: how confident are you in your current content process?

  • If you’re using AI, can you honestly say your page is the best source on the topic? Everyone has the same tools.
  • If you’re not using AI, can you keep pace with companies publishing at scale?

Here’s the catch: you can combine AI with top-tier human editing and still fail to rank. Why? Because what really matters is the strategy behind the content — not just the mix of AI and human words.

What Google actually says about AI content

The focus is on whether the page is helpful, reliable and people-first. Thin or repetitive “scaled” pages risk spam issues regardless of how they’re produced. For business owners, that means the bar is simple but high: ship content that’s useful and original, and back it with clear trust signals.

Is AI content bad for SEO?

Not by default. Across large data sets, the link between “percentage of AI” and rankings is basically zero. Fully AI-written pages rarely take the #1 spot, but most strong performers use a hybrid approach: AI for speed and structure, humans for judgement, facts and depth.

How many SEOs are using AI today?

The short answer: most. Industry surveys show a strong majority now use AI to help create or refine content. That matches what we see in the SERPs — rapid output, but the winners add information gain and real-world proof.

Has AI-Generated Content Improved?

In 2023, we asked ChatGPT — is AI-generated content good for SEO? Here’s what it said:

“AI-generated content can improve website engagement and increase website traffic, which can lead to better search engine optimisation (SEO) results. However, it is important to note that AI-generated content may not always be of high quality or provide value to the user, which can negatively impact SEO. Additionally, search engines may penalise websites that use low-quality or duplicate content, so it is important to use AI-generated content wisely and supplement it with unique, high-quality content.”

As you can see, in 2023 ChatGPT was cautious about the true value of AI-generated content.

AI-generated content will usually provide multiple points of view when answering generic questions rather than providing a straight-to-the-point response.

Chat gpt seo contents

We asked the ChatGPT 5.0 the same question today. Prompt: Is Ai-generated content good for SEO? Here is the output:

Short answer: yes—AI-generated content can perform great in Search if it’s helpful, accurate, and genuinely useful. Google doesn’t penalise content just because AI was involved; they care about quality and intent. Google for Developers

What works

  • People-first value: Original insights, first-hand experience, unique data/examples, clear answers. Google for Developers
  • Human-in-the-loop: Expert editing, fact-checking, and accountability (bylines/bios, sources). Google for Developers
  • Clean execution: Solid page experience, internal linking, and structured data—same standards as any high-ranking page. Google for Developers

What to avoid

  • Scaled/thin output: Mass-producing pages “just for SEO” or with little added value can trip Google’s scaled content abuse spam policy. blog.google
  • Unvetted YMYL topics: Anything safety/finance/health related needs strong expertise and review. Google for Developers

2025 context

  • With Google’s AI Overviews/AI Mode, clicks are more selective—so content that offers unique, cite-worthy substance (not generic summaries) is more likely to earn inclusion and traffic. The VergeAP News

Bottom line: Use AI for speed and scale, keep humans for judgment and originality.

This is a far more informative response, citing what type of articles you can use AI to assist your writing process.

The ranking formula for human-optimised AI content

1) Nail search intent and information gain

Map each query to intent (e.g. can AI content rank, AI content SEO, Google and AI content). Then add what others miss: first-hand examples, screenshots, timelines, or proprietary data. If your page repeats the top five, it’s noise — not a result.

2) Bake in E-E-A-T signals

Add a real byline with credentials and an author/brand page. Show first-hand proof (process shots, experiments, client results). Cite reputable sources and explain your method when you share numbers. Keep trust pages clear: contact details, policies and business info.

3) Structure for skim-readers and bots

Use clear H2/H3 headings, short paragraphs and descriptive internal links. Add concise FAQs that match common questions such as is AI content bad for SEO, EEAT for AI content, and does AI written content affect SEO. Keep the page fast and mobile-friendly.

4) Draft fast with AI, then edit like a pro

Let AI shape outlines and first drafts. Human edit for facts, tone and depth; trim filler, correct claims and add lived experience. Finish with a tight fact check against primary sources and your own data. Use a simple voice guide so every page sounds consistent.

5) Publish with a strategy, not just a post

Build topic clusters around your main theme (e.g. can AI content rank, EEAT for AI content, is AI content bad for SEO). Interlink with clear anchor text. Refresh winners and prune weak pages — don’t flood your site with thin, repetitive content.

Practical workflow you can copy this week

Plan

  • Pick 3–5 core keywords: can AI content rank, AI content SEO, Google and AI content, EEAT for AI content.
  • Review the top results and list gaps only you can fill.

Produce

  • Draft with AI for speed, then add your examples, screenshots and specific steps.
  • Add an author bio, cite sources, and link to related services or case studies.

Polish

  • Fact-check stats and claims; fix vague language.
  • Tighten titles, meta descriptions and intro hooks; keep benefits front and centre.
  • Ship on a fast, clean template with relevant schema.