Semrush Spotlight: AI Visibility Trends and Insights

AI search visibility has emerged as a critical frontier for modern marketing, with new data revealing that over one-third of consumers now initiate their queries using artificial intelligence rather than traditional search engines. The financial impact is significant: customers acquired through AI channels convert at a rate 4.4 times higher than those from organic search. Despite this high-value opportunity, the landscape remains largely unclaimed. A recent Semrush study analyzing 1,094 categories found that only 15.2% had a clear brand owner, leaving approximately 85% of topics available for brands to capture.

For many Chief Marketing Officers, establishing consistent presence across large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity remains an evolving challenge. “For most businesses there are just a handful of things that, done consistently week after week, pay dividends over time,” says Leigh McKenzie, Director of Online Visibility at Semrush. He advises leaders to focus on foundational stability: “Invest in your brand, make sure your owned digital properties are technically sound and the content aligns with your brand message, and work to match your brand promise with your customer experience.”

Practical Strategies for AI Brand Presence

To help marketers navigate this shift, Semrush is launching Spotlight, a dedicated conference in London on October 13. This event aims to bridge the gap between theoretical AI potential and actionable strategy by bringing together leaders from major organizations including OpenAI, LinkedIn, Wix, WPP, and Adobe. The goal is to move past initial uncertainty and provide concrete methods for building AI visibility.

“We’re now at a point where there are practical things you can do to build your AI visibility, and attending Spotlight will help teach you how,” Leigh said. The event will host over 1,000 CMOs and senior brand leaders at Old Billingsgate, a historic venue on the River Thames. With support from media partners like The Drum and Fortune, and visionary sponsor Adobe, the agenda focuses on real-world application rather than abstract predictions.

Key discussion topics include strategies for ensuring AI platforms cite specific websites, defining ethical boundaries for AI-generated content, and measuring return on investment in an AI-saturated environment. Attendees will also explore contingency planning for when AI systems fail in real-world scenarios.

Expert Insights and Hands-On Training

The conference features more than 80 industry experts who will share both successes and failures. Notable speakers include Leila Woodington, Head of B2B Marketing for EMEA at OpenAI; Paula Ximena Mejia, VP of Marketing at Wix; and Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer at WPP. Additional insights will come from representatives at McKinsey, ElevenLabs, Wise, Spotify, Johnson & Johnson, Uber Eats, Getty Images, and G2.

Beyond the main sessions, Semrush is leveraging its proprietary search data to ground discussions in evidence. For marketers seeking deeper technical skills, a Semrush AI Search Bootcamp will be held on October 12, offering hands-on training before the main conference begins.

Ticket options range from £249 for access to the Main Stage and expo, to £529 for All Access, which includes workshops and mastermind sessions. The top tier, a £749 VIP Pass, guarantees entry to three masterminds, priority seating, exclusive receptions, and additional workshops. As discovery habits shift toward AI assistants, events like Spotlight provide the necessary tools to ensure brands remain visible and relevant in the answers users receive.