These SEO predictions for 2026 feel too real đź’€
Three SEO experts weigh in with their boldest unprovable predictions for 2026.
One speaker predicts that major AI companies running through cash at unsustainable rates will face consolidation, with Meta potentially being first to fall, while Anthropic—despite burning through $74 billion in 2025—may either collapse spectacularly or get acquired.Â
Another expert believes structured data will emerge as the critical data layer enabling SEOs and marketers to communicate with AI at scale, though full industry adoption remains unproven.
The predictions blend financial skepticism about the AI boom with technical optimism about schema's evolving role in human-AI interaction.
What's one prediction about SEO in 2026 you believe but you can't prove yet? >> Let's see here. Uh I believe but I can't. Okay. Well, I have a Deadpool. So, I think that counts as something I believe that I can't prove yet. But none of these companies can keep going at the rate. They're running through cash. So, who is going to fall first? They don't want to be the best. Want to be the best when the money runs out, get acquired, the way of the tech. So, my money is on uh Meta first for the Deadpool. They're going to drop Oblama. Um, we actually have Anthropic going in and breaking even, which is wild. I really expected them to fall deeper. I love the work they do. They're great with their transparency and ethics, but I thought they were going to tumble. They've made a correction by pairing a business partner. [music] Um, Anthropic is either going to go up in a beautiful pile of flames or it's going to get bought and acquired. Like, someone's going to go ahead and grab that. So, I'm trying to make a play right now to actually get a bailout. >> Pennies on the dollar. >> Yeah, it's they burn through 74 billion in 2025. Just saying. Ooh. Mhm. >> Um I don't know like I really believe like structured data will be like the
data layer for how SEOs and marketers will communicate with AI at scale kind of on an ongoing basis and [music] I can't totally prove that all of them are going to do it. I think there are strong indications from Google and Microsoft but let's see sort of where open AI and the others go. [music] >> No biasy there. >> No bias. [laughter] >> Um I think that B thing has more to do with it than we give them credit for. And I loved the talk. Mike gave that talk and then um the lovely gentleman from from profound gave all that data. >> [music]
Key takeaways
Chapters
Quotes
“None of these companies can keep going at the rate they're running through cash.” — Jamie Indigo
“They burn through 74 billion in 2025. Just saying.” — Jamie Indigo
“I really believe structured data will be like the data layer for how SEOs and marketers will communicate with AI at scale.” — Martha van Berkel