Everyone's worried about AI replacing jobs. People aren't worried enough about AI replacing customer decisions. AI is about to become the world's most powerful gatekeeper. Is your brand on the guest list? Are your customers asking for you by name?
The difference between a strong and weak brand in 2025: Being the name customers tell AI to buy vs. being an option AI evaluates. Had a conversation yesterday that stopped me cold. "Who decides which company gets your business - you or the AI?" Think about ordering pizza. Without a strong brand, you'll say "Hey ChatGPT, find me pizza." The AI becomes your customer's decision-maker. It'll scan reviews, compare prices, pick what IT thinks is best. But with brand strength? They'll say "Get me Pizza Hut." The customer chooses. The AI just executes. Here's what this means for your business: If customers don't specifically ask for YOU by name, you're handing your fate to an algorithm. You become one of many options in an AI's comparison shopping exercise. This isn't about having a pretty logo. It's about being so clear on your value that customers bypass the AI middleman entirely. They don't want "a solution" - they want YOUR solution. The companies obsessing over JUST AI tools are missing the point. The real question: When your customers talk to AI assistants, will they ask for you by name? Brand isn't dying in the AI age. It's your only protection from becoming a commodity in ChatGPT's dropdown menu. What's your take - is your brand strong enough to survive the AI intermediary? #AIStrategy #AIinBusiness #DigitalTransformation #SMBLeadership #BusinessStrategy