by Mimi Tan and Yoni Gedan
As you refine your communications plan for 2026, you might be overlooking one of your most critical audiences for shaping your brand, swaying your stakeholders and influencing your influencers. That audience is AI.
With nearly 40% of Americans starting searches on AI platforms like ChatGPT/Copilot, Gemini and Perplexity, the need to address your “AI audience” is snowballing by the moment. Do you know what they’re saying about you?
AI is impacting your brand, reputation, visibility — and your authority over your key topics — by synthesizing information from sources around the web. But they might not be accurately portraying your organization or issues, especially if they’re citing third-party sources such as your competitors. That’s why your digital communications strategy needs to include the AI factor.
Here’s a rundown of the need-to-know concepts:
GEO
(Generative Engine Optimization)
GEO focuses on how your organization shows up as a cited authority in AI searches on platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. These platforms are powered by large language models that synthesize information through pattern recognition.
AEO
(Answers Engine Optimization)
AEO focuses on visibility within direct search platforms such as Google and Bing. It emphasizes featured snippets, voice search results and other answer-driven formats that surface clear, authoritative responses
SEO
(Search Engine Optimization)
SEO focuses on improving rankings in traditional search results on platforms like Google and Bing. While SEO relies on different algorithms than GEO or AEO, a strong SEO foundation can support GEO performance, according to Google.
So how do you take a comprehensive approach to addressing your AI audience?
- Owned channels: When was the last time you combed through your website to make sure your content was up to date, accurate and structured for easy citability? Are you covering topical issues on your social channels, or avoiding hard topics altogether? You’ve got to participate in the conversation if you want to impact it.
- Earned media: Third-party sources = validation in the eyes of AI. Citations and links help to build your credibility and authority for being cited in AI.
- Paid media: ChatGPT just launched ads on January 16 on their Go plan, and the other AI platforms also have paid sponsorships for reaching AI searchers.
Looking to the year ahead — whether it’s a comms strategy, content strategy or editorial calendar — make sure you’re proactively managing the message. Because your organization will either shape, or be shaped, by your AI audience.
