TLDR: Data Axle and Brandlight.ai have announced a strategic partnership aimed at empowering brands to navigate and dominate the rapidly evolving AI search environment. This collaboration addresses the significant shift from traditional search engine optimization (SEO) to AI search optimization, where generative AI models are increasingly influencing consumer discovery and brand visibility.
DALLAS, November 4, 2025 – In a landscape fundamentally reshaped by generative artificial intelligence, Data Axle, a prominent omnichannel marketing partner, and Brandlight.ai, a leading AI visibility management platform, have unveiled a strategic partnership. This alliance is designed to equip marketers with the tools and insights necessary to maintain brand control and achieve dominance in the new era of AI search.
The advent of generative AI, exemplified by platforms like Google’s AI Mode, Gemini, and ChatGPT, is transforming how consumers seek information. The focus is shifting from ranking individual web pages to appearing prominently in AI-generated summaries and conversational, zero-click search experiences. This paradigm shift challenges traditional SEO practices, compelling brands to re-evaluate their digital strategies.
Industry data underscores the urgency of this transition. According to Bain & Company, approximately 60% of global searches now conclude without a website visit. Furthermore, Gartner projects a potential decline of 50% or more in organic traffic for brands by 2028 due to the rise of generative AI search. Brandlight.ai’s proprietary research highlights this acceleration, noting a staggering 1,052% increase in AI traffic within the financial services industry across over 20,000 prompts in 2025 alone.
This shift presents both considerable risks and opportunities. Brands that fail to adapt risk losing traffic, conversions, and consumer trust by not being part of the initial consideration process. Conversely, those that succeed will move beyond traditional keyword tactics, focusing on creating high-quality, structured content that directly addresses user intent, leverages natural language, and builds authority around specific topics or categories.
Imri Marcus, CEO of Brandlight.ai, emphasized the critical nature of this evolution, stating, “The question isn’t whether AI will shape how customers discover you; it’s whether you’ll have the intelligence to compete. With Data Axle, we’re closing that gap and equipping brands with the actionable insights and activation needed to lead in this new environment.” Marcus further elaborated on the necessity of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), noting, “All brands will have to start optimizing for this new modality,” and that “AEO is how brands get discovered in a world where AI summarizes the web. It’s about relevance, not just keywords—and being structured and cited in places LLMs trust.”
The partnership aims to deliver stronger visibility in AI-generated responses, an improved share of voice against competitors, more accurate brand representation in AI engines, and clarity on which content formats drive the best results. Brandlight.ai’s platform offers comprehensive AI visibility tracking across 11 top AI engines, including Google AI, Gemini, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, alongside AI brand monitoring and content distribution capabilities.
Experts on Brandlight.ai’s advisory board echoed the sentiment. Tony Weisman, former CMO of Dunkin’, remarked, “Today storytelling lives or dies by how generative models interpret and serve up content. Brandlight allows brands to regain ownership of that narrative.” David Edelman, Senior HBS Fellow, added, “The keyword era is fading; we’re now in the age of AI-powered conversations. Brands must learn to speak that language using tools like Brandlight to influence the customer’s journey.” Sarah Fay, a Digital Transformation CEO and AI Investor, succinctly put it: “AI is no longer a technology; it’s the new marketing battleground where visibility means survival. Brandlight unlocks that visibility for brands.”
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This collaboration signifies that generative AI search is not the end of SEO but rather an evolution. Brands must now optimize for natural-language queries, provide structured content such as FAQs, build trust through authoritative citations, and leverage AI tools for advanced keyword research and automation. The Data Axle–Brandlight.ai partnership is poised to guide companies through this transition, transforming uncertainty into sustainable growth in the AI-driven information ecosystem.
