You’ve probably noticed that AI-generated responses are increasingly referencing brands when asked about related topics. And that the information pulled from the internet is now arriving in real time, constantly updated. For marketers, this means the future is arriving sooner than expected. The significance of this shift is not minor—it’s a clear confirmation that generative AI is rapidly becoming the primary platform for discovery, recommendation, and decision-making for both consumers and brands.

With this transformation, we are witnessing the emergence of a new discipline within marketing—and a new role within marketing teams: AI Engine Optimization. Until now, the focus was on building a strong organic presence across search engines, social media, and digital ecosystems. Now, we must also ensure that our brand is accurately—and ideally favorably—represented in the responses generated by AI models. The answers produced by large language models (LLMs) are no longer just summaries of web content. And since these answers are increasingly becoming the primary source of information consumers will read, it’s crucial that their quality, accuracy, and substance are real, well-crafted, and truly understood.

This paradigm shift is profound. We’re moving from “how can I appear more in search results” to “how can I train AI to truly understand what my brand represents.” This calls for a different kind of investment, mindset, and methodology. Brands will need a digital presence that is accessible and easily interpreted by AI systems. This means creating highly structured content, establishing clear semantic relationships, relying on validated sources, and maintaining an impeccable digital reputation.

This new milestone in the history of marketing will require roles and skillsets that, for the most part, do not yet exist—and must be developed. It’s not easy to find professionals who can bridge brand strategy and development with data science, or combine marketing expertise with linguistic engineering. Winning the consumer’s mind, heart, and wallet is no longer about catchy, impactful slogans—it’s about data. A lot of data. And failing to embrace this new reality will mean total brand invisibility—the kind that inevitably leads brands to the graveyard.

AI is not going to replace marketing departments or their professionals. But it does bring significant demands. First and foremost, it raises the bar for those who wish to build a career in this field—requiring deep, complex, and specialized technical knowledge. This will be profoundly transformative for both education and businesses over the next decade.

The next chapter of marketing is, quite literally, beginning to be written by the new artificial intelligence. It is up to us to ensure that what it writes is right.

Article written by João Santos, COO of WYgroup, for Marketeer.