10 July 2025

Trust, Regulation, and the Future of Visibility in AI Search

As governments catch up with generative AI, brands must lead with credibility, transparency, and strategic foresight.

The Regulatory Landscape: Still Taking Shape

As generative AI reshapes how we discover and trust information online, regulators are scrambling to keep up. In the UK, the government has taken a light-touch, pro-innovation approach - relying on existing laws and sector-specific regulators rather than introducing sweeping new legislation (UK Government White Paper, 2023). The EU, by contrast, has introduced the AI Act, a horizontal framework that classifies AI systems by risk level and imposes obligations accordingly (European Parliament, 2024).

But across all jurisdictions, one thing is clear: the rules are still evolving. Enforcement mechanisms are patchy, definitions are vague, and the balance between innovation and protection is still being debated. Also, important to note that even existing regulations focus primarily on consumer protection. Potential negative impact on the businesses is barely mentioned in the existing legislations. So, for now, brands must navigate this uncertainty on their own terms.

Why Trust Is Now a Strategic Asset

In the absence of clear regulation, trust becomes the currency of visibility. Generative engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity don’t just reward relevance - they reward credibility. That means:

Transparent authorship and sourcing
Demonstrable expertise (E-E-A-T)
Ethical content practices
Engagement in trusted communities

AI engines are increasingly selective about who they cite. And as we’ve seen throughout this series, being cited is the new benchmark for digital influence.

The Bigger Picture: Visibility as Influence

Brands that want to stay relevant must think beyond rankings. They must build ecosystems of trust, authority, and presence across the platforms that generative engines rely on.

At ClerksWell, we believe this shift is an opportunity. It’s a chance to build not just visibility, but credibility at scale.

A Rapidly Changing Landscape

This blog series was built on over 60 sources (ranging from academic research and industry reports to platform updates and UX studies). Nearly 70% of those sources were published in 2025, many just this spring. That alone speaks volumes: the dynamics of AI search are evolving fast.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

Complex queries are up 7x, and organic traffic is down by 25% (BrightEdge)
Only 30% of users read beyond the top third of an AI summary (Kevin Indig & Eric van Buskirk)
Zero-click behaviour is now the norm, with just 374 clicks per 1,000 searches in the U.S. (SparkToro)
GEO is emerging as a critical discipline for digital visibility
Trust, structure, and platform-specific strategy are the new pillars of optimisation

Our Take at ClerksWell

This research has been a fascinating journey. Generative AI brings a foundational shift in how people interact with the web.

We see this series as a conversation starter. If you’re curious about how AI is changing your industry (or how your brand can stay visible in this new landscape) we’d love to hear from you.

Let’s explore the future of search, together.