Brands that rank well on Google may still be invisible in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini, forcing marketers to rethink how they reach customers in an AI-first discovery landscape. The Pollack Group, a Los Angeles-based creative and marketing agency, has partnered with Brandi AI to help clients understand and improve how they appear in responses from major AI answer engines, signaling a fundamental shift in how companies need to think about online visibility.

For decades, brands have obsessed over search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure they appear in Google results. But as more people turn to AI chatbots to ask questions and get answers, a new problem has emerged: a company can dominate traditional search rankings and still be completely absent, mischaracterized, or overshadowed by competitors when those same questions are asked to an AI answer engine. This gap between search visibility and AI visibility is what marketers now call Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO.

Why Does AI Visibility Matter If You Already Rank Well in Google?

The answer lies in how people discover information. AI answer engines don't simply rank web pages; they synthesize information from multiple sources and generate a single, authoritative-sounding response. A brand might appear on page one of Google for a product comparison, but if the AI system doesn't recognize that brand as a credible source, it may never mention it in the answer. Worse, the AI might cite a competitor instead, or describe the brand inaccurately based on outdated or incomplete information.

Jackie Liu, senior vice president at The Pollack Group, explained the stakes: "With Brandi AI, we can demonstrate to clients how they appear inside AI-generated answers, and, just as importantly, why they do or don't show up. Brandi AI reveals what's influencing visibility across tools like ChatGPT and Claude, from missing context to weak trust signals so that we can take clear, data-backed action."

"With Brandi AI, we can demonstrate to clients how they appear inside AI-generated answers, and, just as importantly, why they do or don't show up," said Jackie Liu, senior vice president at The Pollack Group.

Jackie Liu, Senior Vice President, The Pollack Group

How to Strengthen Your Brand's Presence in AI Answer Engines

Brands looking to improve their visibility in AI-generated answers can take several concrete steps to strengthen their presence across platforms like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini:

• Publish Clear, Specific Content: Create web content that directly answers the high-intent questions customers, journalists, and partners are likely to ask AI systems. This includes service pages, product explainers, and comparison guides that provide evidence-backed information.
• Build Trust Signals: Develop case studies, thought leadership articles, and FAQ pages that establish credibility. Earn media coverage, analyst mentions, and customer reviews, as these external sources heavily influence how AI systems describe your brand.
• Monitor AI Visibility Regularly: Test how your brand appears by asking AI platforms the same questions your audience would ask. Compare the AI's description against your actual positioning, offerings, and differentiators to identify gaps or inaccuracies.

The timing of this shift is critical. Leah Nurik, co-founder and CEO of Brandi AI, noted that "AI is becoming the first stop in the buyer journey, and agencies like TPG that build this capability now won't just help clients keep up, they'll help them lead."

"We're at an inflection point where AI is becoming the first stop in the buyer journey, and agencies like TPG that build this capability now won't just help clients keep up, they'll help them lead," said Leah Nurik, co-founder and CEO of Brandi AI.

Leah Nurik, Co-founder and CEO, Brandi AI

What Types of Content Help Brands Appear in AI Answers?

Not all content is equally effective at earning mentions in AI-generated responses. Brands should focus on creating content that AI systems recognize as authoritative and relevant. The most effective content types include service pages that explain what a company offers, product explainers that break down features and benefits, comparison pages that position the brand against alternatives, case studies that demonstrate real-world results, thought leadership articles that showcase industry expertise, earned media coverage from reputable publications, analyst reports and mentions, customer reviews and ratings, and authoritative industry commentary.

The Pollack Group's partnership with Brandi AI will integrate this capability directly into client programs, starting with brand audits that reveal how a company currently appears in AI-generated answers, followed by ongoing optimization that strengthens credibility signals and earned citations over time. The service is available to clients across the agency's consumer, technology, travel and tourism, financial services, and nonprofit practices.

This shift reflects a broader recognition among marketing professionals that the digital landscape is fundamentally changing. As AI answer engines become more prevalent, brands that fail to optimize for these new platforms risk losing visibility to competitors who do. The stakes are particularly high for companies in competitive industries where a single AI-generated answer can influence purchasing decisions or shape brand perception.

For now, the best strategy is to monitor how AI systems describe your brand, identify where descriptions are incomplete or inaccurate, and create content that fills those gaps. The brands that act first will likely gain a significant advantage in this new AI-first discovery world.