Global online visibility and marketing analytics platform Semrush has launched its latest innovation, the AI Visibility Index, a metric designed to measure brand performance in generative AI platforms. The initiative aims to provide enterprises with a clearer view of how their brands appear and perform in AI-generated responses, marking a significant shift in how digital discovery is defined in the age of artificial intelligence.
Semrush, widely recognized for its tools in SEO, advertising, and competitive research, developed this index to address the growing influence of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other AI-driven search and recommendation systems. As consumer discovery increasingly happens through conversational AI tools rather than traditional search engines, marketers face new challenges in ensuring their brands remain visible in these emerging environments.
The AI Visibility Index combines real-time data analysis with advanced algorithms to measure how often, and in what context, a brand is mentioned by generative AI platforms. This goes beyond traditional search engine ranking systems, offering marketers a view into how AI interprets, presents, and prioritizes brand information for end users.
Semrush’s Chief Executive Officer, Oleg Shchegolev, described the new tool as an essential addition to the digital marketing playbook. He emphasized that marketers have historically focused on visibility in search engines like Google, but the shift to generative AI requires a fundamentally different approach. “The AI Visibility Index is about understanding how artificial intelligence shapes brand narratives and influences consumer decision-making,” he said.
Industry experts believe this development comes at a critical juncture. With the widespread adoption of generative AI tools, consumers are increasingly relying on AI-driven responses for product recommendations, service comparisons, and informational queries. This has elevated the importance of AI-driven brand presence and made visibility in generative platforms a competitive advantage.
The AI Visibility Index aims to help enterprises benchmark their performance across industries. It provides insights into which companies dominate AI mentions in specific categories, how competitors are positioned, and where gaps exist in AI-generated visibility. This type of benchmarking could prove valuable for brands seeking to strengthen their presence in fast-evolving markets.
According to early insights shared by Semrush, brands in sectors such as technology, e-commerce, and consumer goods show strong AI visibility, reflecting higher levels of digital engagement and structured data use. However, traditional industries such as manufacturing and utilities still lag behind, suggesting that visibility in AI systems remains unevenly distributed across sectors.
Marketers see significant potential in leveraging the index to refine content strategies. By analyzing where brands are underrepresented in AI-driven responses, businesses can develop targeted campaigns to improve their positioning. This might involve optimizing structured data, expanding digital content, and ensuring accurate representation of brand information across the web, which generative AI models rely upon for training.
The AI Visibility Index also highlights broader questions about trust and accountability in AI-generated recommendations. Since these systems synthesize data from multiple sources, brands must focus on both accuracy and authority to ensure that they are represented correctly. Analysts note that enterprises adopting proactive AI visibility strategies are more likely to shape consumer perceptions rather than leave them to chance.
While the launch has been met with enthusiasm from marketing leaders, it also raises challenges. For many organizations, measuring AI-driven visibility is a new and complex undertaking that requires specialized expertise. Questions remain about how AI platforms weigh and select information, creating an evolving landscape where transparency is limited.
Despite these challenges, early adopters of the AI Visibility Index are already identifying new growth opportunities. By quantifying AI-based brand presence, companies can better assess the return on investment from digital initiatives and integrate AI visibility into their broader marketing and customer engagement strategies.
The introduction of the index comes at a time when enterprise marketing budgets are increasingly directed toward AI-powered solutions. According to industry research, nearly 70% of CMOs plan to increase investments in AI-driven marketing technologies over the next two years, making visibility in generative platforms a priority for competitive positioning.
Semrush’s move underscores the growing convergence between marketing analytics and artificial intelligence. It reflects the recognition that the rules of brand discovery are being rewritten as AI platforms redefine how information is accessed and consumed. For enterprises, the index provides a pathway to navigate this shift with greater clarity and data-driven insights.
Looking ahead, the AI Visibility Index is expected to evolve with continuous updates, incorporating new metrics as AI systems themselves become more advanced. Semrush has indicated that the tool will expand to cover additional platforms and provide sector-specific insights, allowing companies to track their performance across a broader range of AI environments.
The development signals a future where brand visibility is no longer limited to search rankings but extends into the realm of AI-driven interactions that influence consumer choices in real time. As AI becomes central to digital engagement, marketers who adapt to this new landscape by prioritizing AI visibility are likely to secure stronger competitive advantages.
For Semrush, the launch reinforces its position as a key player in shaping the future of marketing analytics. For enterprises, the message is clear: visibility in the AI era requires new metrics, new strategies, and a readiness to embrace the changing dynamics of consumer discovery.