Brands race to crack the AI discovery code

Every time a shopper asks ChatGPT which running shoe to buy, Gemini to recommend a frozen meal, or Claude to suggest a skincare product, an invisible battle is playing out among brands. Unlike Google search, where dozens of results compete for attention, AI assistants typically recommend only a handful of products. For brands that fail to make that shortlist, it is the digital equivalent of disappearing from the shelf altogether.