As more consumers turn to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot for recommendations, businesses are starting to ask an important question: how does AI decide which brands or relevant products to suggest, and why do some companies show up while others don’t? For starters, let me tell you what AI product recommendations do not do as of January 2025:
- AI does not accept paid placements within its recommendations.
- AI does not have brand sponsorships or partnerships.
- AI does not recommend brands solely because they are well-known.
- AI cannot be “talked into” promoting a brand.
Factors AI Uses When Recommending Brands
AI doesn’t “prefer” or promote brands the way influencers or ad platforms do. When you ask an AI tool for relevant product suggestions, it generates an answer based on a mix of context and signals, including your specific needs, brand clarity, reputation, consistency and credibility.
Consumer Data: Context & Use Case
AI product recommendations start with taking your specific needs and curating a list of what fits your search description. It will factor in your given budget and the location where you are looking. AI also considers other customer preferences, like your priorities. Are you looking for quality or price? Speed or proximity?
For example, AI will not recommend an expensive plastic surgeon in Buckhead if you’re searching for Botox on a budget in Roswell. It also won’t suggest a provider five miles away if they’re fully booked and you need an immediate appointment.
Clarity of Brand Positioning
The clarity of your brand and its message makes all the difference when AI is filtering through brands to recommend. If your niche is clear, it is easier for it to read and understand. If the brand message is vague, it makes your brand more difficult to discover. Sometimes, AI will name the “obvious” leaders just because of how clear their brand mission is, but it can suggest smaller or more niche brands if their message is clearly differentiated. For example, a brand that says, “We help small law firms manage social media” is easier to recommend than one that says, “Full-service marketing solutions.” The clearer your niche, the easier it is for AI to understand when and why to recommend your brand.
Reputation & Credibility
A brand’s reputation is another important factor AI considers when making personalized recommendations. Companies that have higher customer satisfaction in the form of strong reviews from past purchases, a consistent message across multiple platforms and a clear explanation of their services are seen as more reliable options to suggest. This includes reviews, educational content, FAQs and consistent explanations of services across a company’s website and social platforms.
Why Some Brands Repeatedly Earn AI-Powered Product Recommendations
AI is queen at recognizing patterns; it’s basically what they’re built on. They recognize patterns over popularity alone. This means that brands that explain themselves well end up becoming a “default answer” in AI product recommendations.
What AI Product Recommendations Mean for Your Business
If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: being “good” is no longer enough. Brands need to prioritize consistent clarity over being everywhere, and quality over quantity.
The good news? AI visibility isn’t random. In our next blog, we’ll break down exactly how businesses can position themselves to be recommended by AI tools.
This blog is courtesy of MMC Social Media Coordinator Peyton Martin.