S2 Ep6: AI Search: Brand Channel or Performance Play?

Right now, an AI is deciding whether your brand exists. Not philosophically - commercially. Life science researchers are asking ChatGPT for flow cytometry recommendations, using Perplexity to compare qPCR platforms. If AI can't find, cite, and recommend you, you're invisible.Matt Wilkinson and Jasmine Gruia-Gray debate the commercial reality of generative engine optimisation for B2B life science companies. Is it brand building or performance marketing? The answer matters more than you think.What we cover:→ Why AI search traffic converts 23x better than organic (but represents <1% of volume)→ The mechanics of query fan-out and probabilistic visibility models→ Incumbent advantage vs newcomer opportunity in AI discovery→ Platform-specific biases: Grok, ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity→ The 3-6 month GEO timeline and product confidentiality tensions→ Practical testing framework for competitive AI visibility mappingReferenced in this episode:Rand Fishkin (SparkToro) and Mike King (iPullRank) on AI search mechanicsAhrefs data on conversion rates from AI search trafficForrester research: 90% of B2B purchases use generative AIActionable takeaway: Spend an hour quarterly prompting ChatGPT and Perplexity with your category question and specific use case. Who shows up? That gap is your competitive map for AI discovery.About A Splice of Life Science Marketing:Strategic conversations for marketing leaders navigating AI adoption, commercial execution, and buyer psychology in life sciences.Connect with Matt Wilkinson:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattwilkinson/Strivenn: strivenn.comNewsletter: https://strivenn.com/subscribeConnect with Jasmine Gruia-Gray:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-gruia-gray-phd/#lifescience #marketing #AI #GEO #B2Bmarketing