How AI Search Is Transforming Brand Discovery

For decades, marketers have joked that “the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google.” In today’s AI era, that joke needs an update. The best place to hide something is anywhere an AI answer doesn’t mention you.

The new reality is that discovery is no longer about scrolling through blue links. Increasingly, buyers, from consumers to businesses, are finding, evaluating, and choosing products straight in the chatbot. By the time they hit a landing page, the decision has already been made.

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From Links to Answers

As an example, let’s imagine you’re shopping for a coffee maker for your new apartment.

In 2020, you might Google “best coffee makers” and click through many lists, reviews, and forums. On your way you’d encounter a wide mix of brands.

In 2025, you’ll likely just ask an AI: “What’s a good coffee maker for strong espresso at home?” An example response could be:

“The BrewMaster 5000 is praised for its flavor and affordability. Another option is the JavaPro, known for its durability.”

In that answer only two brands are surfaced, trusted, and considered. Every other brand is invisible.

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Rethinking Brand Awareness in the AI Era

Traditionally, marketers measured “unaided awareness”: simply, whether a consumer was able to name your brand off the top of their head.

Today, a more interesting question is: will AI mention your brand without being prompted?

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What Brands Can Do to Stay Visible

AI-driven discovery creates a new playbook for every business that wants to be discoverable online.  

• See what AI sees. Test AI platforms like a customer would, manually to start. Note who shows up when you ask about your category? If it’s not you, that’s the first gap.
• Structure your content for clarity. Headings, Q&A sections, summaries, and schema markup will help AI parse your information. The easier you can make it for an AI to give to the user, the better.
• Shape your narrative. Publish guides, how-to’s, and industry resources that AI can pull from to answer direct user queries. Additionally, focus on correcting misinformation so that outdated stories won’t get repeated.
• Track AI mentions for relevant queries. Just as you might historically monitor SEO rankings or social media, start monitoring when and how AI cites you. Platforms like Meridian make this visible.

Focus on the fundamentals. Don’t try to “game” AI. The best way to win today is still to create products and content that genuinely answer the question better than anyone else.

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The New Curator of Discovery

AI is now deciding which brands make it into the conversation. This means the path to being discovered hasn’t disappeared, just changed. Instead of convincing a human to click you first have to convince an AI to include your brand in the answer.

For brands that adapt early, this shift is a massive opportunity to win market share. Established players are at risk of being left behind, while agile brands can advance ahead by becoming the default answer an AI model provides.

In the end, the same principle holds true: the best way to win customers is to be the best answer. Brands now just need to answer with AI in mind as much as your customers themselves.