AI Optimization Goes GA: Why Visibility in AI Search Is No Longer Optional

In March, Semrush Enterprise introduced AI Optimization (AIO) in beta - a new solution designed to help brands understand and improve how they're represented across today’s most influential AI search engines and large language models.

Now, AIO is generally available—with expanded LLM tracking, a new ChatGPT Shopping report, and AI Mode now live to capture visibility in Google’s AI search. With it comes a new era of discoverability.

With coverage across 16 countries, 4 languages, and new layers of insight, Semrush AIO now gives brands a clearer view of how they’re represented across the AI platforms shaping today’s customer decisions.

Matteo Iannelli, Global SEO Manager at Roche Diagnostics International, said AIO is already playing a valuable role in their reporting workflows:

"AIO has added a new layer of AI-focused analysis that complements our existing SEO reporting. We’re using AIO insights alongside traditional SEO tools to understand brand visibility in AI-generated content, get a more complete view of our digital presence, and to explore how we can improve visibility in both search engines and LLMs."

That kind of strategic integration is what AIO was built for, and it’s continuing to evolve. 

AI-driven platforms are no longer side tools—they're entry points. Whether users are asking ChatGPT for a skincare brand recommendation or using Perplexity to find a B2B software provider, the path to purchase starts earlier—and away from traditional search.

And the shift is accelerating fast. According to recent Semrush research, AI-driven search traffic is expected to surpass traditional organic search by early 2028—possibly sooner if Google’s AI Overviews continue their global rollout. This isn't just a new channel, it's becoming the dominant one.

But many brands still don’t know how (or if) they’re showing up.

Our data also shows that even top-performing websites in Google aren’t guaranteed visibility in AI models. In many cases, aggregators lose ground while direct brand domains are prioritized—reshaping the competitive landscape for ecommerce and enterprise alike.

ChatGPT’s Shopping Search Experience is gaining traction. Models like Perplexity are already influencing the research phase for millions of users. And the value of that traffic is rising—Semrush data shows that visitors from AI platforms convert at 4.4× the rate of those from traditional organic search.

If your brand isn’t visible across these touchpoints, you’re not just missing clicks—you’re missing high-intent customers.

Iannelli shared how their team is using AIO to tap into a new layer of visibility:

"AIO’s prompt generation, AI rankings, concept and market analysis features help us understand where and how our brand shows up in AI-generated content. These give clear insights into how our selected prompts perform and provide us with a new dimension of visibility beyond traditional SEO."

That kind of visibility is exactly what AIO is designed to unlock. It’s not about future-proofing, it’s about meeting users where they already are, with tools that finally make AI search visibility measurable and actionable.

AIO is designed for enterprise marketing, SEO, brand, and ecommerce teams that want to:

Whether you're launching a new product or protecting a category lead, visibility in AI is now a core growth lever—not a nice-to-have.

AI Optimization is now available globally.

See how your brand shows up across today’s most influential platforms—and take control of your visibility.