Written by: Vickie Sullivan | August 20, 2026
AI Is Rewriting the Rules of Brand Awareness
Standard brand awareness efforts are about to become obsolete, according to a recent Software Finder study. And yes, AI is involved.
Move past the study’s focus on buying software. We all knew AI was changing the game. This research reveals how great an impact the technology is having on B2B sales, as well as when in the sales journey buyers are turning to it for answers.
The study reveals two ways AI is already changing who makes it onto a buyer’s consideration list:
• From invisible to included. One in two B2B buyers seriously evaluated or purchased from a source they discovered exclusively through AI, with no prior brand awareness. (Emphasis mine.) That makes AI a powerful new gatekeeper, influencing which brands make it onto a buyer’s radar.
• From visible to excluded. Let’s say a customer referred you to someone. You are on that prospect’s radar. Despite that, almost 25% of buyers said they have excluded a vendor from consideration because they didn’t appear in the AI-generated recommendations. (Dang. That’s cold.) In other words, traditional brand awareness got you considered. Now, you need AI visibility to keep you there.
Standing out in crowded markets was hard enough. But those good ol’ days are no match for what’s about to happen. Take a hard look at what you are doing to build visibility, and ask yourself: When buyers turn to AI for recommendations, will I make the list?
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