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Marketing in the AI era
For years, we have worked to help people find our brands. Now we also need to understand how artificial intelligence interprets them when someone asks for help making a decision. That changes some of the questions we should be asking.
The conversation starts before anyone reaches our website
Imagine someone looking for a supplier. They have a need, a budget, certain requirements and a few questions. They might visit several websites, read articles and compare proposals. They can also ask AI to explain the options and help them build an initial shortlist. At that moment, the brand appears within an answer we did not write.
This is what interests me about the shift. Information about a company can be published, accessible and beautifully presented in its own channels, yet still be poorly represented in that conversation. We need to examine what is picked up, how its capabilities are connected and where it stands alongside other options.
We have shaped the message. Now we need to observe its interpretation
Those of us who work in marketing and PR know that a brand’s narrative never depends solely on what it says about itself. Media, reviews, distributors, experts and many other sources also play a part. AI adds another way of gathering and presenting that information.
That is why I find it hard to reduce this issue to a race for mentions. Why do we want to appear? What should someone who finds us understand? In which markets and for which needs is our offering relevant? Without those questions, we may celebrate an appearance that adds very little to our business or overlook an absence that matters.
A quick test can open your eyes; an assessment needs context
Asking about our brand can be a good starting point. The next step is to stop asking only about ourselves. Consider a customer’s real questions: which solution meets a need, how to compare suppliers, which conditions to assess or what options exist for a particular sector.
A single answer cannot describe our whole position. We need to place the observation in context: which question we analysed, in which environment, for which reference market and at what time. We also need to distinguish what the evidence supports from what still requires more information.
Brand work is still brand work
The temptation is to look for a quick recipe. Change a few words, publish more, add a section and expect AI to recommend us. But a brand needs a clear proposition, consistent information and sources that support its claims. That work requires an understanding of the business and decisions to be made.
If an important capability is barely explained, we will need to explain it better. If the narrative relies on outdated information, we will need to locate it. If a competitor appears in a priority territory, we will want to understand the evidence behind that position. Each situation calls for a different response.
A new perspective for better decisions
VISORY was born from that need: to observe a brand’s presence in AI and connect it with its strategic context. To understand where it appears, how it is represented, what supports its position and which opportunities deserve attention.
We cannot promise that AI will recommend a brand. We can investigate the available signals, explain what they mean and help organise priorities. For me, that is where the value lies: turning a conversation about technology into a useful conversation about the brand and its future.
