Hey fellow disruptors! I hope you’re reading this, lounging with your favorite beverage, but don’t get too cozy. There’s something lurking in the digital shadows, that’s right, AI is making moves, and it’s changing how people find, interact with, and judge your brand online. Spoiler alert: You better be prepared!
A recent Gartner survey predicted that brands’ organic search visibility could take a nosedive by up to 50% in the next four years. Ouch. Why? Because consumers are turning to AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude to do their thinking for them. What’s worse? Nearly 70% of respondents trust these AI-driven results. So, what happens when AI says your product sucks—or even worse—spreads incorrect information about your business?
Cue the sound of your PR team collectively gasping.
You Can’t Strong-Arm AI (But You Can Outsmart It)
First things first: You can’t directly tweak AI search results like you can with traditional SEO or owned media. As Brian Snyder, Global President of Digital at Axicom, said, “You can’t necessarily change what the AIs are saying, but it’s our job as marketers and communicators to influence the media of the day.”
So, what do you do when the “media of the day” is literally an all-knowing, all-seeing, unbothered AI? You outsmart it.
Here are a few ways to start flexing those PR muscles and fight back against the robots (while keeping your reputation intact):
1. Get Cozy With AI—It’s Not Going Away
Don’t fight the tide, learn to surf. Use AI tools like ChatGPT to do your own recon. What’s the current vibe around your brand? What kind of perception is brewing out there in the digital ether? The comms team at Dell Technologies has been doing this for a while, using AI for market analysis, crisis management planning, and just good old-fashioned reputation research. If it’s good enough for Dell, it’s probably good enough for you.
2. Audit Your AI Search Presence Like a Pro
Just like you’d audit your SEO rankings (you’re doing that, right?), start auditing how your brand shows up in AI answer engines. What are they saying about you? More importantly, what are they saying about your competitors? This is where the real PR battle begins—because it’s not enough to just be on the AI radar, you want to dominate it.
3. Make Your Content AI-Friendly (But Still Human-Approved)
Here’s a question you need to start asking: What questions might AI use this piece of content to answer? Optimizing your content isn’t just for Google anymore. You need to think like an AI and make your content irresistible to these digital wizards. Create resources that position your brand the way you want it to be positioned. Otherwise, the AIs might just decide to paint a picture you don’t like.
4. Be Hypervigilant About Every. Single. Communication.
Look, AI isn’t reading between the lines—it’s taking your words at face value. Every press release, blog post, and LinkedIn update is potential fuel for these answer engines. Before hitting “publish,” ask yourself: Does this content have the potential to frame my brand in a way that AI will pick up and spread far and wide? If not, back to the drawing board you go!
5. Crisis? What Crisis? Plan for it Anyway
In today’s world, you can’t afford to wait until a crisis hits to start managing it. AI is fast, and once the wrong info about your brand is out there, it’s really hard to reel it back in. Be proactive. Plan for what could go wrong before it does, and use AI tools to get ahead of potential reputational landmines.
