New AI Visibility Awards spotlight brands thriving in AI-generated search results

As AI chatbots become the go-to tools for travel planning, product recommendations, and more, marketers face a growing challenge: how do you make sure your brand appears in the answers?

Semrush believes it has the answer – and it’s launching an award program to spotlight the brands leading the way.

The newly announced AI Visibility Awards recognize the companies most often cited, recommended, and surfaced in AI-generated responses, using Semrush’s AI Visibility Index, a dataset built from more than 2,500 real prompts run through ChatGPT and Google’s AI Mode.

Andrew Warden, CMO at Semrush, said:

• “This year marks a turning point in how brands earn visibility. It’s not about submissions or panels – it’s about real user behavior. These awards recognize the marketers cracking the AI code and earning trust where it counts: inside the answers.”

What the AI Visibility Awards measure

The awards highlight three types of performers across four major verticals:

• Category Leaders: Brands with the largest footprint in AI search
• Growth Engines: Fastest gainers in visibility
• Challengers: Up-and-comers gaining traction in AI results

For example, Google topped the Business & Professional Services category, while Rippling was recognized as a Challenger brand. In Consumer Electronics, Samsung led the pack, with Logitech and Nothing Technology earning Growth Engine and Challenger honors, respectively.

Other notable winners:

• Microsoft, Category Leader for Digital Tech & Software
• UNIQLO, Growth Engine in Fashion & Apparel
• Anthropic, Challenger in Digital Tech & Software

AI search trends marketers should watch

The award data reveals a few emerging truths about AI-driven discovery:

• Stability among leaders: Top brands showed less than 20% monthly volatility in AI share-of-voice, suggesting AI engines “lock in” trusted names.
• Niches break through: Brands with clear topical relevance — like Patagonia in ethical fashion or Logitech in gaming accessories — punch above their weight.
• Challengers can compete: Newer players like Nuuly and Anthropic are finding traction with strong positioning and momentum.
• Verticals behave differently: Some, like Business & Professional Services, remain highly competitive, while others reward consistency or focus.

These awards underscore what many marketers are only starting to confront: AI visibility is now part of the competitive equation. For some brands, it’s already shaping strategy.

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