Nearly 50 percent of consumers already use AI-powered search as a primary research tool, and AI summaries now appear in roughly half of Google queries, a share forecast to exceed 75 percent by 2028. That shift isn’t subtle. Instead of clicking through websites, people are turning to AI for direct, consolidated answers. And increasingly, they stop there.

That shift has real implications for how brands show up. Visibility isn’t just about rankings or impressions anymore. It’s about whether your brand is part of the answer at all.

Ads Still Matter, But They Don’t Build Authority

Paid media has always been good at driving attention. It puts a message in front of people quickly and at scale. But attention and authority aren’t the same thing.

AI tools don’t evaluate information the way humans do. They rely on publicly available content that signals credibility, such as news coverage, expert commentary, and trusted third-party sources. Paid placements don’t carry that same signal, no matter how strong the creative or how large the budget.

That’s where ads fall short. They’re transactional by design. Earned media, on the other hand, reflects external validation. Someone else decided your perspective was worth including.

Earned Media Leaves a Longer Trail

A strong earned placement doesn’t disappear once the day’s headlines move on. It lives on as part of the public record and becomes one of many reference points over time.

As AI becomes a more common entry point for information, that matters. These tools pull from years of coverage, commentary, and reporting to shape the answers they provide. Brands with a consistent earned media presence leave behind a clearer, more credible trail than those relying primarily on paid visibility.

In simple terms, earned media sticks around. Ads don’t.

This Is Where GEO Enters the Conversation

You may be hearing more about Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO. Despite the new label, the idea itself isn’t all that new.

At its core, GEO is about understanding how AI tools surface information and making sure your brand shows up as a reliable source. That doesn’t come from shortcuts or one-off tactics. It comes from disciplined messaging, real expertise, and earned coverage that holds up over time.

AI tools don’t add nuance where it doesn’t already exist. They reflect what’s already out there. That raises the bar for clarity and consistency, because gaps or mixed messages are just as likely to be repeated as the good ones.

Why This Matters for Brands Right Now

As AI becomes more embedded in how people learn, research, and make decisions, brands that rely solely on paid media risk being left out of the conversation altogether.

Earned media helps ensure your voice doesn’t just reach people. It becomes part of the broader information environment AI tools are learning from. It’s a slower build, but it’s also a more durable one, especially for brands thinking beyond short-term visibility.

At Abel, we see this moment as an evolution of earned media, not a replacement for it. The platforms may be changing, but the goal remains the same: helping brands show up with credibility, clarity, and relevance wherever their audiences are looking. 

How visible is your brand in AI-powered search? To help you understand where you show up, what conversations you’re part of, and how to earn a greater share of AI-driven visibility over time, let’s talk.