What: As generative search and agentic commerce reshape discovery, retailers must optimise content for AI visibility, schema markup, and earned media that LLMs actually cite.

Why it is important: The shift to AI-driven discovery means that only brands with machine-readable, authoritative content will be surfaced in consumer journeys, making technical adaptation and strategic PR critical.

The emergence of AI-powered answer engines and generative search is fundamentally changing how brands are discovered and referenced in the retail landscape. Traditional PR and content strategies focused on driving website traffic are becoming less effective, as AI systems now prioritise authoritative, structured, and machine-readable content for citations in consumer decision journeys. Retailers and brands must adapt by optimising owned content with schema markup, FAQ formats, and targeting the platforms that feed dominant LLMs such as ChatGPT and Google. Earned media remains crucial, but PR teams must identify and focus on the specific publications and content types that AI systems actually cite for their industry. As AI-driven discovery becomes the norm, new metrics—such as citations, mentions, and share of voice in AI answers—are replacing traditional web traffic and impressions as key indicators of brand authority and influence. Those who fail to adapt risk losing relevance and visibility in an increasingly AI-mediated marketplace.

IADS Notes: The shift toward AI-powered answer engines and generative search is fundamentally transforming how brands are discovered, cited, and referenced in retail. As highlighted by Retail Dive (September 2025), Target’s focus on generative engine optimisation (GEO) and agent-to-agent commerce reflects a broader industry move to optimise for AI-driven discovery and contextual product recommendations. The Robin Report (December 2024) and Financial Times (November 2025) confirm that 38% of shoppers are already using AI tools for purchase decisions, with 80% reporting positive experiences, and that agentic commerce is rapidly shifting power from traditional websites to AI platforms. BoF (May 2025) and Inside Retail (September 2025) emphasise the need for retailers to rethink content strategy, prioritise schema markup, and ensure their data is machine-readable to remain visible in an AI-mediated answer economy. The rise of AI influencers and generative AI marketing tools, as reported by the Financial Times (September 2025), further underscores the importance of balancing innovation with authenticity and transparency. Collectively, these developments signal a new era where PR and content strategies must focus on citations, mentions, and share of voice within AI-driven platforms, rather than traditional web traffic, to maintain relevance and authority in the evolving digital landscape

AI: the new gatekeepers