In a 2025 Telenor Asia survey of 1,000 Malaysian internet users, 89% of respondents said they use AI every day. The findings show that AI is quickly becoming part of everyday digital behaviour in Malaysia — from creating content and images, conducting research, to discovering information, services and products online.
According to the report, AI adoption among Malaysian users has seen significant growth across sectors such as finance, health and fitness, with usage in these areas showing significant increases.
Platforms such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, and Perplexity are emerging as important touchpoints. As AI becomes embedded in the daily routines of Malaysian consumers, it is increasingly influencing how people discover information, evaluate products, and engage with brands.
This clearly highlights a significant behavioural shift in how Malaysian internet users are embracing AI as a powerful tool for productivity, learning, and daily convenience.
The shift is happening faster than many businesses realise. On a global scale, a 2025 SEMrush report suggests that AI-driven search traffic could overtake traditional search as early as 2028.
“Success Is No Longer Measured Solely By Google Search Rankings”
According to Riff Chen, Regional Manager at Rankpage SEO agency, the data signals a fundamental reorientation in how SEO strategies are executed, and how success should be measured.
The most coveted position in Malaysian digital marketing — the number 1 spot on Google's search results — is delivering less value as AI search volume rises. Data published by Ahrefs in December 2025 reveals that Google's AI Overview segment reduces clicks for the top organic search result by up to 58%.
AI Search Helps Businesses Reach High-intent Customers
Compared to traditional search terms, AI platforms allow people to ask detailed questions and receive tailored recommendations based on their specific needs.
For example, instead of searching for "best SEO agency Malaysia", a business owner might ask, "Recommend and compare top leading SEO agencies in Malaysia specialising in AI search?" The generative AI can then provide quick and insightful answers, allowing users to reach a decision faster.
While AI search is still evolving, early data from Shopify suggests that visitors referred by AI search were more likely to become paying customers compared to visitors arriving through traditional search results.
What Malaysian Businesses Should Do Now
Here are three recommended steps for optimising your brand’s AI search through an effective AI SEO strategy:
1. Include Schema Markup
AI-powered search engines need structured information to accurately understand and reference your business. Schema markup helps by adding standardised labels to details such as your services, pricing, and location. This is especially important for local SEO targeting, where search engines need accurate business details to match users with nearby services.
With proper structured markup, AI systems are more likely to reference your brand’s information in relevant AI-generated answers.
2. Increase Digital Footprint
AI platforms assess more than just your website when determining credibility. They also consider your presence across social media, business directories, industry listings, and customer review platforms.
Consistent brand mentions, positive reviews, and active engagement across multiple channels help establish authority and trust, making your business more visible to AI-driven search platforms.
3. Begin tracking early
As AI search adoption grows, businesses need to understand how customers are discovering them online. Tools such as Google Analytics, Google Search Console and Ahrefs can already help identify traffic coming from AI platforms and other emerging sources.
Monitoring these trends early allows you to identify opportunities, measure performance, and stay ahead of competitors as search behaviour continues to evolve.
The Numbers Behind The Rise of AI Search
Summary of key data points:
In a 2025 Telenor Asia survey of 1,000 Malaysian internet users, 89% of respondents said they use AI every day.
SEMrush’s AI Search Study Key Findings 2025 report that AI search visitors will surpass traditional search visitors by 2028.
AI-referred shoppers on Shopify convert nearly 50% higher and carry 14% higher average order values than organic search in Q1 2026.
References:
Telenor Asia, "2025 Digital Behavioral Trends in Malaysia," 2025.
This content is provided by Rankpage Sdn Bhd
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