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Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI have really changed the communications landscape – people are now no longer just searching for the right links but instead accessing tailored, definitive and rapid information at the click of a mouse.
With Google implementing its AI overview feature to search and digital users turning directly to AI tools, such as Chat GPT, Perplexity and Gemini, instead of Google – it’s no secret that AI is now a vital part of marketing strategy.
To be found by GenAI is a must-have imperative for all marketing teams, and now is the time to act.
Earned media is your most powerful ally
The source of AI searches was highlighted in the recent AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication) Summit in Vienna covered by Jonny Bentwood:
“Over 90% of AI visibility is driven by citations from earned media” (1)
This staggering figure highlights the need for businesses to adopt public relations (PR) and communications strategies in order to be seen by generative AI, if they do not already.
For life science and technology businesses, where trust, credibility and authority are paramount, earned media coverage is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have tactic to build a reputation so credible that AI itself becomes your most powerful advocate.
The new AI-driven information ecosystem
For years, the foundation of digital marketing has been a single-minded pursuit of search engine optimisation (SEO). Marketers meticulously crafted keywords, built backlinks and optimised content with the singular goal of ranking on the first page of Google. This has now shifted so that AI not only retrieves, curates, summarises and presents information to answer questions, but it will actively share opinions about organisations. This is what some experts are calling the “AI Reputation Economy,” where an AI’s perspective on a company is as critical as its own messaging.
This is where the shift from SEO to generative engine optimisation (GEO) is so important. Earned media is crucial to creating content that AI models can find and trust.
A report by PR Agency One reveals that “AI prioritises news outlets, trade media and expert sources, meaning PR-secured coverage directly influences AI brand perception.” (2)
In other words, it is drawing on earned media – articles in digital trade media publications, mentions in industry journals and interviews with key opinion leaders. For life science companies, this means press releases, whitepapers and thought leadership articles are only as influential as the digital media coverage and footprint they generate.
Why earned media is still a game-changer for life science
The traditional marketing funnel is changing but one constant remains: in life sciences, trust is the ultimate currency. With the rise of AI, earned media has become the most powerful tool for building that trust.
This need for credibility makes the 90% stat particularly powerful. Here’s why:
- Establishing scientific authority: AI can distinguish between a company’s self-published claims and third-party endorsement. AI doesn’t just pull from company press releases – it synthesizes information from credible scientific journals, respected news outlets and expert commentary to form the answer. A strong earned media presence ensures the right scientific narrative is the one AI amplifies.
- The power of the few: The AMEC summit also revealed that a small number of influential websites often drive a disproportionate amount of a brand’s AI-generated reputation. This means that marketing efforts should focus on securing placements in a handful of top-tier, authoritative publications. As the saying goes: quality over quantity.
Building your new strategy
So, what does this new reality mean for life science marketing? It means adapting a new strategy:
- Benchmark current AI visibility
- Optimise for generative AI
- Prioritise an earned media-first approach
The ‘AI Reputation Revolution’ is here and it is reshaping the entire communications landscape. For life science companies, this isn’t a threat – it’s now an opportunity. Embracing an earned media-led strategy ensures that a brand’s story is told with the credibility and authority it deserves. The companies that invest in AI-driven PR strategies today will set the standard for the next era of digital influence.
The Scott Partnership has over 25+ years’ experience in life science and technology PR, communications and marketing. Our team are experts in successfully generating, managing and creating earned media content for clients. For help in adapting to the ‘AI Reputation Revolution’, contact us at The Scott Partnership now.
Thanks to Scorr Marketing, Jonny Bentwood and PR Agency One.
