What Smart Agencies Are Doing With AI Right Now

About This Episode

AI is changing SEO and digital marketing faster than most agencies can adapt.

In this episode of SEO On-Air, host Koa Kauwe is joined by Benji Hyam (Grow and Convert), Jonathan Rodriguez (Deviant Digital Services), and Jenni Simmons (Coterie Media) to discuss how smart agencies are actually using AI today, where they’re seeing real results, and what they believe is still hype.

The conversation explores how agencies are balancing AI adoption with quality, authenticity, and long-term client success. From prompt engineering and AI-assisted content workflows to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), AI visibility tracking, attribution challenges, and automation, the panel shares practical insights into how modern agencies are adapting to an AI-first search landscape.

Benji explains why AI traffic and conversions still account for a small percentage of overall business results, despite the massive industry buzz around AI. Jonathan shares how his agency uses AI for content creation, prompt engineering, schema generation, and local SEO strategies. Jenni discusses why agencies should carefully evaluate AI trends before making major operational changes and how AI-powered automations are helping teams become more efficient.

The discussion also covers AI search visibility, ChatGPT rankings, content quality, attribution challenges, brand positioning, and why human expertise remains critical even as AI capabilities continue to evolve.

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• How leading agencies are using AI today
• Why AI traffic and conversions are still relatively small
• The relationship between traditional SEO and AI visibility
• How prompt engineering is changing content creation
• What Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) means for agencies
• Why AI-generated content still needs human oversight
• How agencies are measuring AI search visibility
• The role of automation in agency operations
• Why attribution is becoming harder in AI-driven search
• How agencies can prepare for the future of SEO and AI

If you’re an SEO professional, agency owner, marketer, or business leader trying to understand where AI fits into your growth strategy, this episode provides practical insights from agency leaders actively testing and implementing AI today.

Because the agencies winning with AI aren’t replacing strategy.

They’re using AI to amplify it.

⏱️ Key Timestamps

00:00 – How Agencies Are Really Using AI Today

01:26 – Meet Benji Hyam, Jonathan Rodriguez & Jenni Simmons

05:17 – Lessons Agency Owners Wish They Learned Earlier

08:03 – The First Big Wins That Validated Their Agencies

14:11 – What Differentiates Successful Agencies Today

19:09 – How Agencies Are Optimizing for AI Search

20:01 – AI Traffic vs SEO Traffic: What the Data Shows

23:02 – Why Traditional SEO Still Drives AI Visibility

24:04 – Prompt Engineering, AEO & AI Content Workflows

27:32 – Why Some Agencies Are Waiting Before Going All-In on AI

31:05 – Should Agencies Disclose AI Usage to Clients?

33:11 – Human Expertise vs AI-Generated Content

39:29 – Building AI Products Without Replacing Agency Services

42:15 – Why AI Strategies Change Every Few Months

43:19 – How Much SEO Has Actually Shifted Toward AI?