In 2025, AI assistants are no longer just tools for productivity—they’re trusted advisors, research companions, and decision-making aides. Whether someone’s asking ChatGPT for the best CRM for startups or querying Gemini about sustainable fashion brands, AI-generated answers are shaping how people perceive and choose brands.
For marketers, SEO strategists, and digital brand teams, this shift represents both a challenge and an opportunity. Traditional search engine rankings are no longer the sole battleground for visibility. Instead, AI assistants are becoming the new front door to your brand.
So, how exactly are these AI systems influencing brand perception—and what can you do about it?
Key Insights
1. AI Assistants Are Becoming the First Point of Brand Discovery
When users ask AI assistants for recommendations, comparisons, or definitions, the responses they receive often serve as their first impression of a brand. Unlike search engines, which present a list of links, AI assistants deliver a single, synthesised answer—meaning your brand either appears in the answer or it doesn’t.
- Visibility is binary: If your brand isn’t mentioned, it effectively doesn’t exist in that moment.
- Context matters: How your brand is described—whether as “affordable,” “innovative,” or “outdated”—can influence perception instantly.
- Trust is implicit: Users tend to trust AI-generated answers, assuming they are objective and well-researched.
2. Brand Narratives Are Being Rewritten by Machines
AI assistants draw from a wide range of sources—web content, reviews, news articles, and structured data—to generate responses. This means your brand story is being interpreted and retold by algorithms, not just your own marketing team.
- Inconsistent messaging: If your brand messaging isn’t clear and consistent across the web, AI may misrepresent your positioning.
- Outdated information: AI models trained on old data may surface obsolete features, pricing, or partnerships.
- Third-party influence: Reviews, media coverage, and even competitor content can shape how AI describes your brand.
3. Proactive AI Visibility Strategy Is Now Essential
To influence how AI assistants perceive and present your brand, you need to actively manage your AI visibility. This goes beyond traditional SEO and content marketing.
- Audit your AI presence: Use platforms like Promina to monitor how your brand appears across AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity.
- Identify content gaps: If AI assistants aren’t mentioning your brand—or are doing so inaccurately—it’s a sign your digital footprint needs strengthening.
- Optimise for AI comprehension: Ensure your content is structured, up-to-date, and aligned with the language AI models understand and prioritise.
Conclusion
AI assistants are no longer just answering questions—they’re shaping brand narratives, influencing customer decisions, and redefining digital visibility. For marketing leaders and brand strategists, this means adapting to a new era where AI-generated answers carry as much weight as search rankings or social proof.
The good news? You can take control. By understanding how AI assistants perceive your brand and proactively managing your presence, you can ensure your brand shows up—and shows up well—when it matters most.
How is your brand being represented in AI-generated answers today?
Learn how Promina can help you monitor, benchmark, and improve your AI visibility across leading models. Visit https://promina.ai to start a free trial.