The Rise of AI Visibility: Why Ranking on Google Is No Longer Enough

Date: 10th August 2026, 10:00 AM

Location: Mumbai

For years, Google rankings have been a key measure of digital visibility, with brands relying on search engine optimisation and organic traffic to assess their online performance. However, the rise of AI-powered discovery is changing how customers find and evaluate brands. Senthil Kumar Hariram, Founder and Managing Director, FTA Global, shared his perspective on this shift in an exclusive industry feature.

He highlighted that platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot are increasingly becoming part of the customer research journey. Instead of browsing multiple search results, users can now ask questions and receive consolidated answers, recommendations, and comparisons.

Senthil pointed out that a brand can rank prominently on Google and still remain absent from AI-generated responses. This creates a visibility gap that traditional SEO reporting may not capture.

According to him, brands now need to track two ecosystems: how customers discover them through conventional search and how AI systems recognise, trust, and recommend them. The focus is therefore moving beyond rankings towards AI visibility, where being part of the answer becomes as important as appearing in search results.

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