ASSESSMENT OF THE USEFULNESS OF AI-GENERATED CONTENT FOR SEO

In the context of the rapid and in many respects exponential expansion of the practices of using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in content marketing, there arises a need not so much for a descriptive as for a rigorous, scientifically grounded analysis of its actual effectiveness for search engine optimization (SEO). The aim of the study is to conceptualize the effectiveness of AI-generated content through the lens of the Google E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) quality framework and to compare its theoretical premises with empirical data on its actual performance. The methodological basis of the study includes a systematic review of academic publications, content analysis of the technica L l documentation of search engines and analytical reports of leading consulting companies, as well as a synthesis of the results of previously conducted comparative case studies in which content created by AI is compared with materials prepared by humans. The results obtained indicate that fully automated AI-generated content exhibits persistent structural limitations in meeting the requirements of the E-E-A-T framework, especially in its Experience component. This is reflected in noticeably lower indicators of user engagement and organic traffic compared to texts created by human authors. At the same time, it has been established that a hybrid human-in-the-loop configuration, in which generative AI models are used as a support tool rather than as an autonomous producer of content, ensures superiority in key SEO indicators and in return on investment metrics. On the basis of the analysis carried out, the conclusion is drawn that AI should be regarded as a highly effective means of intensifying and optimizing content creation processes, but its use in the current state of technology cannot replace the human author when the aim is to achieve stable, reproducibly high-quality results in the field of SEO. The findings and discussion presented are intended for digital marketing specialists, SEO analysts, and researchers studying the interaction between artificial intelligence technologies and digital communications.