Artificial intelligence is reshaping how consumers discover and engage with brands. From chat-based search assistants to AI-driven product recommendations, the marketing landscape is shifting in fundamental ways.

AI visibility – the prominence of your brand in AI-generated content and answers – now matters as much as traditional SEO or social media presence.

Brands that fail to adapt are already seeing declines in organic traffic and awareness, as AI-powered tools favor those with rich, relevant content. In an era where a consumer might ask a voice assistant or a chatbot for the “best hiking boots” or “a good credit card for students,” AI systems will only recommend brands they know about and trust. This means the old playbook of just stuffing keywords or buying ads is no longer enough. Marketers must ensure their brands are visible to AI in the channels where consumers are now searching.

Why does this shift demand urgent attention? AI-driven recommendations, search results, and even agent-driven purchases are transforming how brands get discovered and selected. Consumers increasingly use conversational queries like “What’s the best SUV for city driving?” instead of typing a few keywords. Large Language Models (LLMs) can interpret these nuanced questions and deliver a single, synthesized answer or a short list of options, bypassing the traditional scroll of search results.

In practical terms, this means fewer opportunities for your brand to appear on a crowded results page – you either make it into the AI’s top answer or you’re invisible.

Moreover, new AI agents can now execute purchases or bookings on behalf of users. For example, OpenAI’s Operator agent is able to browse websites, compare options, and complete orders for users with minimal input. In such scenarios, the AI agent might choose a product or service without the user ever directly searching or browsing – the ultimate “agent-driven” purchase. If your brand isn’t the one the AI recognizes or finds suitable, you simply won’t be part of that transaction.

In summary, AI visibility matters because it is redefining the marketing funnel. Top-of-funnel discovery is happening via AI chat tools and assistants, and purchase decisions may be made or heavily influenced by AI recommendations. Ensuring your brand is visible and favorable in these AI-driven channels is rapidly becoming critical for maintaining market share and growth. This briefing provides an insight-driven briefing on how to achieve this, with strategic considerations and practical steps for marketing executives.