You and your competitors are being judged by AI right now. It’s making recommendations to buyers too. But you have no idea what it’s saying.
I just searched for project management platforms. Google’s AI didn’t just list options, it ranked them, explained who each one serves best, and gave specific recommendations with reasons.
Wrike – “Best for scalability, complex workflows, large projects”
Asana – “Best for workflow flexibility, ease of use, team collaboration”
Smartsheet – “Best for spreadsheet-based management, automation, detailed reporting”
The companies had the relevant info on their websites, but AI did the work of pulling it together into clear positioning and direct comparisons. AI filled in the gaps with its own interpretation.
If you don’t package your positioning clearly, AI will do it for you. And AI might not emphasize what you want or position you the way you’d choose.
Try this yourself using a simple prompt to start but know that some customers will prompt with a lot more context:
“I’m looking for [your industry] solutions for [your target market]. Profile the top competitors and give me recommendations.”
Use your favorite AI like ChatGPT, Google (AI Overviews/AI Mode), Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini.
See how AI describes your company (if you show up) and recommend (not recommend) you. You might be surprised.
The teams getting this right aren’t chasing AI citations. They’re being super clear about who they serve and who they don’t. They’re describing outcomes, not features. They’re honest about where they win and where competitors might be better.
A recent study from Semrush found that AI search visitors convert 4.4x better than regular organic traffic. They’re already educated, compared options, and know your value.
That makes clarity your competitive advantage. Even if AI gets it “right,” you’re letting AI control your story instead of doing your part to guide that narrative.
This week’s newsletter breaks down exactly how to guide AI’s understanding of your brand with real examples and the five changes you can apply quickly.
See the screenshots below from Google’s AI Overview when I searched for project management solutions. See the full breakdown and methodology in this week’s newsletter (see link in comments).
1) Newsletter on “When AI Judges Your Brand Before Human Beings Do”: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/when-ai-judges-your-brand-before-humans-do-liza-adams-8xuyc
2) 13-min AI podcast version of this newsletter. Listen to it while driving, walking the dog, or having lunch 😉 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vpyJri8rabLX2KyXURTXezs46msa67zC/view?usp=sharing
Once you hit play, give it just a few seconds then it will start.
Disclaimer: This podcast was generated by AI based on this written newsletter and reviewed by me to ensure ethical and responsible AI use. It’s designed to provide an efficient, more inclusive way to consume information.
3) Semrush study: https://www.semrush.com/blog/ai-search-seo-traffic-study/