A sobering study from Victorious, reported in May 2026, analysed how often 177 brands were mentioned by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews. The headline finding: only around 10% of those brands earned any AI mention at all. The other 90% were effectively invisible in the fastest-growing category of search.
For UK B2B firms, this should be a wake-up call. Even well-established brands with strong organic rankings may not be showing up where buyers are increasingly asking questions.
Why AI visibility is not the same as SEO visibility
Traditional SEO measures whether your pages rank for keywords. AI search measures whether a conversational system recognises your brand as relevant enough to include in an answer. You can rank on page one of Google and still not be cited by ChatGPT or Perplexity if the AI does not see you as a credible, well-defined entity in the topic area.
This matters because B2B buyers are using AI for research. Vendor shortlists, feature comparisons and trust checks are increasingly happening inside chat interfaces. If your brand is absent from those conversations, you may never make the shortlist.
What the invisible 90% have in common
Brands that fail to appear in AI search often share a few traits: unclear positioning, inconsistent online presence, thin or generic content, few external citations and weak entity signals. They may be well known in their industry, but not well represented in the structured, referenced form that AI engines rely on.
The fix is not to chase every new platform. It is to make your brand unambiguous and easy to verify.
A practical response for UK B2B firms
First, clarify your entity. Your website should state clearly who you are, what you do, who you serve and what makes you different. Avoid vague claims and industry jargon that could apply to anyone.
Second, build topical authority. Publish original research, frameworks, case studies and guides that demonstrate deep expertise. AI engines prefer sources that answer follow-up questions, not just the first one.
Third, earn consistent citations. Industry directories, partner pages, media coverage, podcasts and professional associations all help establish that your brand is a recognised player.
Finally, track AI mentions. Periodically ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini about your category and see whether your brand appears. If it does not, you have a clear remediation task. Record the queries, the answers and any factual errors so you can measure progress over time.
Visibility in AI search is still early enough that small, deliberate investments can create a lasting lead. The firms that start now will define the category in the minds of both buyers and the machines that answer their questions.