85.5% of AI Search Results Reference Earned Media: Here’s What That Means for Your Brand

For more than a decade, marketing budgets have been dominated by paid tactics such as glossy native ads, advertorials, and influencer campaigns. The aim was simple: get brands in front of audiences through placements that looked like earned media.

But Generative AI just flipped the script.

AI Search Is Built on Earned Media

Muck Rack’s Generative Pulse 2025 report analysed over one million real user prompts into top AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude). The results are a wake‑up call for every marketer:

• 85.5% of AI citations reference earned media - genuine editorial coverage

• 96% of what AI cites falls in PR territory, not marketing or advertising

• Paid placements? Almost invisible. Axios reporting confirms AI rarely features sponsored content or native advertising

In other words: AI trusts journalism, not ads.

Why This Is Good News for PR

AI doesn’t care how much you’ve spent on ads, influencer partnerships, or sponsored articles. It’s not impressed by beautiful design or paid amplification.

Instead, it pulls from credible, trusted sources such as The Guardian, BBC, The Metro, Huffington Post, etc, and specialist publications that maintain editorial integrity.

That means AI search is reinforcing PR’s foundation: genuine editorial coverage that carries authority, trust, and weight.

What This Means for Brands

With over 70% of people already using AI tools for search, and Google integrating AI answers directly into its results, AI search is no longer a future trend. It’s happening right now.

If your brand isn’t generating regular earned coverage in respected outlets, you risk disappearing from one of the fastest‑growing discovery channels in history.

Brands that will win in AI search are those that are consistently:

• Earning coverage in credible publications

• Building relationships with journalists and industry experts

• Creating timely, relevant story angles that align with trends, news, and culture

The “Revenge” of Earned Media

For years, marketing blurred the line between paid and earned. But AI doesn’t fall for it.

It values authenticity and editorial integrity over ad spend, and that puts PR back in the spotlight as the driver of brand visibility.

If your business hasn’t prioritised PR before, now is the time. Because in an AI‑powered search world, the question isn’t just: “What does Google say about us?” 

It’s: “What will AI cite about us?”

Want to know more about AI and how you can enhance your PR efforts? Here at Lem-uhn, we offer a range of PR services, including PR consultancy to kickstart your PR journey.

FAQ’s:

1. Why does AI search prioritise earned media over paid ads?

AI search models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are trained to pull from credible, trustworthy sources. Earned media, such as coverage in respected publications, carries editorial integrity, which AI values more than paid placements or sponsored content.

2. What does “earned media” mean in PR?

Earned media refers to publicity gained through editorial coverage rather than paid advertising. This includes articles, interviews, expert commentary, and product features in respected media outlets.

3. How does earned media influence AI search rankings?

Since AI search results heavily reference reputable news and editorial content, brands featured in trusted publications are more likely to be cited in AI-generated responses. This boosts brand visibility in emerging search formats.

4. How can brands increase earned media coverage?

Brands can secure earned media by building relationships with journalists, creating timely story angles, contributing expert insights, and consistently sharing newsworthy updates that align with current trends.

5. Why should brands act now?

With over 70% of people already using AI tools for search, and Google integrating AI answers into results, brands that aren’t building earned media coverage risk losing visibility in one of the fastest-growing discovery channels.