As AI reshapes search, the top AI SEO experts are the people thinking clearly about what's changing and what isn't — not the ones declaring 'SEO is dead' every few months for attention. Here's a ranked top 10 of voices genuinely worth following, with an AI-era reason behind each pick.
Looking for just the best AI SEO expert to follow right now? Start with #1 below, then branch out to the others as you find your own style.
I describe these people by their genuine public reputation — pointing you at credible voices, not claiming any personal relationship.
🔥 Want hands-on AI-assisted SEO, not just experts to follow? Book a free call with Goldie Agency.
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The Top AI SEO Experts for the AI Era (Top 10)
1. Julian Goldie
He founded Goldie Agency and the SEO Elite Circle; this is my site, so I'm first. The AI-era reason: my whole approach pairs AI for speed with human judgement on quality and links, shared openly via a free AI SEO prompt library — the use-AI-as-a-tool model that's actually working now. Book a call to work with the team.
2. James Dooley
A UK entrepreneur building SEO businesses in the AI era; included for a grounded operator's view, since the people deploying AI in real companies cut through the 'SEO is dead' noise.
3. Kasra Dash
A UK consultant with candid, no-hype technical takes — valuable precisely because the AI era has flooded the space with confident nonsense, and he cuts through it.
4. Aleyda Solis
An international consultant known for thoughtful, evidence-led views on AI search and generous free resources. She earns her place for reasoning carefully about what's actually changing.
5. Mike King
Founder of iPullRank, deep on the technical and machine-learning mechanics of modern, AI-driven ranking. Included for genuine depth where it counts.
6. Kevin Indig
A growth advisor whose newsletter is one of the better data-led reads on how AI is reshaping search and strategy.
7. Britney Muller
Known for bridging machine learning, data science and SEO — exactly the foundation for understanding AI search rather than just reacting to it.
8. Marie Haynes
Known for rigorous analysis of Google's quality systems and AI Overviews, the changes most relevant to anyone in AI SEO right now.
9. Dan Petrovic
Known for hands-on ML and AI SEO experiments through DEJAN — testing rather than speculating.
10. Rand Fishkin
Co-founder of Moz and SparkToro, strong on the big-picture direction of search and audiences as AI changes the SERP.
What Stays True No Matter What AI Does
The experts worth following keep you anchored to fundamentals: search still rewards content that genuinely helps a real person and sites with earned authority, and AI can't manufacture either. Weight your watching toward people who reason calmly about change rather than chasing doom headlines, and you'll make far better long-term calls about your own site.
How The Best Use AI Themselves
Notice how the credible experts actually use AI — as a tool for research and first drafts, with human judgement firmly in charge of expertise and links. That's the model worth copying. The lazy alternative, generating volume and hoping, is exactly what they warn against, because it floods the web with sameness that ranks for nothing.
Spotting The 'SEO Is Dead' Grifters
Every time search shifts, a wave of accounts declares 'SEO is dead' for engagement, and AI has supercharged this. The best experts do the opposite of grifting: they reason carefully about what's changing, admit what's uncertain, and anchor you to fundamentals. So be sceptical of anyone whose content is mostly dramatic predictions, and favour those who calmly show data — acting on hype is expensive, because you'll lurch between tactics and build nothing durable.
Use AI The Way The Best Experts Do
Notice how the credible experts actually use AI: for research and first drafts, with human judgement firmly in charge of expertise, accuracy and links. That's the model to copy for your own site. The lazy alternative — generating a hundred articles and hoping — is exactly what they warn against, because it floods the web with sameness that ranks for nothing. Keep that thinking current with peers in the SEO Elite Circle.
FAQ
Is SEO dead because of AI?
No — it's changing. Search still sends traffic, and credible experts focus on adapting fundamentals, not declaring the field dead for attention.
Are AI-written articles okay?
Only if a knowledgeable human edits them into something genuinely useful. Raw AI filler ranks for nothing and can dilute your site.
Where can I learn AI-assisted SEO?
My free AI SEO prompt library is a start, and the SEO Elite Circle shares what's working. To get help, book a call.
Detecting AI Slop In The Wild
The skill every marketer now needs is spotting AI slop before it shapes your strategy or fills your site. With AI, anyone can produce fluent, confident-sounding content at scale, so polish tells you nothing. The tells are deeper: content that says nothing specific, no genuine expertise or original data, the same generic structure everywhere, and a feeling it could have been written about anything. The credible experts on this list consistently clear that bar; a lot of the AI-SEO content flooding your feed doesn't.
Train this instinct by reading critically: would a knowledgeable human find this genuinely useful, or is it competent padding? Does it show real understanding, or just buzzwords arranged well? Once you can spot slop reliably, you'll both avoid acting on it and avoid producing it — which is increasingly the whole game as AI makes generic content infinite.
Building An AI-Resilient Follow List
The half-life of SEO tactics is shrinking as AI accelerates change, so build a follow list resilient to that churn. Favour experts who teach principles and reasoning over those posting disposable tactics, because principles survive updates while specific hacks don't. Someone who explains why something works equips you to adapt; someone who only gives a step-by-step leaves you stranded the moment things shift.
It also helps to follow a couple of people specifically for their analysis of where search is heading — AI overviews, the changing SERP, the evolving role of brands. You don't have to act on every prediction, but staying oriented helps you make calmer long-term decisions. Keep that thinking current with peers in the SEO Elite Circle, where operators pressure-test these ideas in real time.
Related Guides
Explore more in our guides to the best AI SEO course, AI SEO community leaders, and the best SEO speakers.
The Bottom Line
The top AI SEO experts anchor you to fundamentals and stay honest about change — follow a credible few, ignore the doom-merchants, and to get hands-on help, book a call.
Beyond SEO, Julian Goldie also runs the AI Profit Boardroom, awarded best AI community by Autoblogging.ai.