Gen AI’s influence on reputation management shouldn’t be underestimated
If you want to manage how your brand, executives, or products are being perceived in Gen AI responses, then here is some guidance.
Gen AI has not yet dethroned Google Search, but it’s certainly complementing search journeys. Whilst Gartner’s prediction that global Search Engine traffic will drop by 25% by 2026 due to AI, working with the world’s largest corporates shows that some audience groups may already be fast approaching this figure; this is an experience-based observation based on seeing first-hand how policymakers, investors, and other corporate decision-makers are seeking information.
It has meant that the first page of Google is no longer the only space where reputational perceptions are shaped. Gen AI means that editor discrepancy and choice is not accounted for as responses come without human oversight. Information is bundled together from a variety of online sources – sometimes even confidently hallucinated – to shape narratives to audiences actively seeking information. Gen AI’s influence on reputation management cannot be ignored.
If you want to manage how your brand, executives, or products are being perceived in Gen AI responses, then here is some guidance:
Reputation management is multichannel
If the link is public and crawlable, then Gen AI can see it. Google Search’s index still matters, but unlike the first page of Google’s results, Gen AI digs deep into websites to reveal potentially relevant information. Think Wikipedia, Reddit, corporate websites, international, local and trade media, niche blogs, YouTube, TikTok – the list feels endless. It means reputation management in 2025 must be multichannel as the days of addressing one Financial Times article (for example) are over.
Source diversity will dig up the past
The diversity of sources is both a blessing and a curse. It means that well-structured, up-to-date owned content such as FAQs and thought leadership can surface in Gen AI responses. However, it also means that negative or inaccurate information, even if a historic issue, is resurfaced for the world to see long after it has faded from the news cycle. Watch out for how divisive issues are referenced in diverse sources as this may be impacting audience perceptions.
Daily volatility impacts source weighting
Managing how Gen AI responds to prompts has required the development of a reputation management framework. It recognises that whilst there is a weighting behind the sources used (like a page rank), the volatility is driven by the dynamic nature of Gen AI sourcing. For instance, the prevalence of a negative news article can be de-weighted as a source but can be replaced by another even if from a social platform like Reddit. There isn’t a journalist or editor you can phone about this issue, only a data-led strategy can rectify.
Silence isn’t a strategy
“Let’s wait and see if this goes away” doesn’t apply to Gen AI. Certain reputational issues may require a direct response, with attempts to ignore or bury controversies unlikely to be successful. Fact-based, well-structured responses, published strategically, will often lead to a balance to topics rich in reputational significance. Arguably, this is why audiences like Gen AI, because of its ability to search through the noise of traditional search results to reveal. However, it does completely change the considerations behind reputation management decisions. Good practice means reputation should be handled transparently and directly, offering Gen AI useful content to inform responses.
Volatile responses require daily monitoring
Over the last 12 months, there has been a rush by global communications tool providers to offer accurate and reliable monitoring across Gen AI platforms. History shows us that communications professionals were slow to adopt Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) techniques in comparison to marketing disciplines. However, the same can’t be said in 2025, as tracking Gen AI in turn requires an AI-powered solution to track.
For all of Gen AI’s technical sophistication, our underlying lesson is a human one. Reputation is not only shaped by public opinion, but by what Gen AI chooses to surface. The most successful communicators will be those who understand the science behind Gen AI, the art of storytelling, and have the empathy to understand what is really impacting audience perceptions and behaviours.
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