Brands no longer just compete on Google rankings. They now fight to be remembered and recommended by AI. A new concept called “AI availability” decides if ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity ever mentions your product when people ask for advice.
What AI Availability Really Means
Professor Byron Sharp first used the term. He says brands grow with two things:
- Mental availability – people think of you when they need something.
- Physical availability – people can easily buy you.
Now a third one rules everything:
- AI availability – the chance that an AI tool names your brand as the answer.
If AI never suggests you, you become invisible to millions.
Why This Battle Started Now
People treat AI like the world’s biggest influencer. New research from OpenAI, Harvard, and Duke shows:
- 10% of adults worldwide already use ChatGPT every week.
- 80% of chats are about practical advice, information, and decisions.
- Most users ask “What should I buy?” not “Write me a poem.”
AI now sits between the question and the purchase. Brands that AI ignores lose sales fast.
Also read about: Upwork AI Proposal Assistant 2025 Boosts Freelancer Success
How Brands Win AI Recommendations
Forget old keyword tricks. AI looks for “fitness signals” – proof you solve problems better than rivals. Here are the proven steps:
- Make your strengths crystal clear on your website (price, quality, speed, values).
- Collect real reviews on Google, TripAdvisor, Reddit, and directories.
- Get mentioned in “best of” lists, local news, and blogs.
- Run events, publish research, or start your own media channel.
- Fix basic data: correct name, address, hours, and photos everywhere.
Small shops and giant companies use the same playbook. A sandwich café in the UK can rank in AI answers just by having great reviews and a simple site.
The Bottom Line for Brands
Traditional SEO still works today. But tomorrow belongs to brands that AI trusts and recommends. Companies already buy media sites (Semrush, Ahrefs) to control the data AI reads.
The rule is simple: If machines don’t know you exist and why you’re better, customers never will.
Marketers now optimize for one new audience – artificial intelligence.
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