In the Age of AI Search, Brands Must Drive Recommendations Through ‘Knowledge Structuring’

As generative AI reshapes search, simply getting a brand mentioned may no longer be enough. A new marketing strategy calls for organizing relationships among data so AI systems can understand and recommend brands and products in meaningful ways.

Choi Yoon-hee, a senior executive at digital marketing company Artiance, presented the approach at the Search SEOul 2026 conference in Seoul. The strategy is known as GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization.

GEO aims to help generative AI give meaningful consideration to a particular brand or product when answering user questions. Choi contrasted the emerging AI search environment with traditional search, in which users typically reviewed multiple results themselves before comparing and analyzing the information.

In AI-powered search, the generative system carries out much of that judgment and summarization process. Choi said GEO therefore must go beyond simple brand mentions or visibility, emphasizing the need to structure knowledge so the information can influence how AI forms its answers.

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The goal of GEO in the AI search environment must not stop at simple brand mentions or exposure.