Two Types of Companies in 2026: Those Who Get Chosen – and Those Who Get Forgotten

Introduction

A quiet revolution is underway in the world of marketing.
Not through a new social platform or a clever campaign idea – but in the very way brands are understood.

Artificial intelligence and large language models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are taking over the throne of search.
We no longer ask Google – we ask directly. And we expect one answer.
One clear answer, generated by an AI that builds on what it already knows about the world.
About your product. About your brand.

This creates entirely new demands for marketing.

From SEO to GEO – From Clicks to Answers

When a potential customer in 2026 asks their AI:

What’s the best running gear for autumn?

they’ll get one answer. One response, one recommendation.
If your brand isn’t mentioned there – you don’t exist in the customer’s decision space.

It’s no longer about ranking high on Google, but about being accurately represented in the AI’s answer.
That requires strong, well-structured digital footprints – articles, mentions, reviews, and data that large language models (LLMs) can read, understand, and reuse.

That’s where the difference between being chosen and being forgotten is made.

The Classic Marketing Model Under Pressure

Budgets for 2026 are being planned right now.
But if marketing departments continue investing the majority in traditional paid search, SEO, and campaign content, their impact will drop significantly.

Consumer behavior is shifting faster than media budgets can keep up.
When the buying journey begins with an AI query – not a click – marketing must adapt to reality.

What Marketing Should Invest In Now

1. AI-Native Content
   Articles, comparisons, and explanations written so that AI can understand, reuse, and quote them.
   The goal is to create answerable content – not just readable content.

2. Monitoring and Optimizing AI Visibility
   Use tools like Third Law to see how your brand is mentioned and described in generative answers – and how that differs from your competitors.

3. Structured Metadata and Web Optimization
   AI doesn’t read like humans. It needs structure – JSON-LD, schema.org, and clear product data.

4. PR and Reviews
   AI builds its answers on sources that people find trustworthy.
   Press coverage, interviews, articles, and verified reviews therefore carry more weight than ever.

5. Experimental AI Strategy
   Set aside budget to test how AI agents interact with your brand.
   Understand how answers are generated – and how you can influence them.

A New Reality Demands New Investments

In 2026, there will be two types of companies:
Those who understand how answers are generated – and those who become invisible.

The good news is, there’s still time to act.
But it requires decision-makers to move budgets away from the familiar and toward the new tools shaping the AI ecosystem.

At Third Law, we help brands gain visibility and insight into how they are seen through the eyes of AI.
Because while the change is technological, the consequence is strategic:
If you’re not mentioned in the answer, you’re not chosen.

Conclusion

If you work in marketing, branding, communications, or digital strategy, you should ask yourself one question today:

What does my brand look like when AI explains it?

If you don’t know the answer, it’s time to find out.
Not tomorrow. Now – before your competitors do.