Adobe is making a $1.9 billion bet that AI-driven discovery is the new battleground for brand visibility. The company is moving to acquire Semrush, aiming to strengthen its edge as search shifts toward LLM-powered recommendations.
In its announcement, Adobe said the all-cash deal will bring Semrush’s advanced tools into its marketing stack to help brands stay visible across traditional search and AI-driven channels.
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Adobe said its boards and Semrush’s have signed off on the agreement, clearing a major hurdle for the acquisition.
The deal is slated to close in the first half of 2026, pending regulatory review and a final shareholder vote. Semrush’s founders and key investors, who control more than 75% of voting power, have already committed their support.
Market reaction was swift. Semrush shares jumped 74% for their biggest single-day gain on record, while Adobe slipped about 2% following the announcement.
AI search is changing the rules of visibility
Adobe said customer behavior is shifting as people rely more on AI systems for recommendations and purchasing decisions.
The company cited rising demand for tools that help brands maintain a presence wherever customers search or query across AI systems. It said Semrush’s strengths align with its efforts to support marketers in the agentic AI era through products like Experience Manager, Analytics, and the new Brand Concierge, which are part of its broader focus on customer experience orchestration.
Visibility engine built for both search and AI
Semrush brings more than a decade of SEO expertise, along with newer generative engine optimization (GEO) tools designed to help brands stay discoverable in AI search.
Adobe said its Digital Experience products already support 99% of the Fortune 100, giving the company a wide foundation to expand these capabilities as AI-driven discovery grows. It called Semrush a leading brand visibility platform and “a powerful partner for marketers” looking to manage their online presence.
Semrush is used by major enterprise customers, including Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and TikTok, and recently posted 33% year-over-year ARR growth in its enterprise segment. It also unlocks GEO as a new growth channel alongside SEO, helping brands stay present on their own properties, search engines, and AI-generated results.
Generative AI is now steering consumer choices
According to Adobe, traffic from generative AI sources to US retail sites jumped 1,200% year over year in October, showing how quickly shoppers are turning to AI systems for guidance.
Both companies say LLMs are becoming a primary interface for product discovery and recommendations, and the acquisition reflects growing pressure on brands to stay visible as AI increasingly shapes the customer journey.
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