AI Is Now the First Stop for Enterprise Buyer Research. PR Has 90 Days to Earn Credibility.
New data from Treble's Press-to-Pipeline Activation in the Age of AI report should reset your PR roadmap. Nearly half of enterprise technology buyers now begin vendor research with AI assistants, ahead of Google Search, vendor sites and trade publications.
If your brand doesn't show up with fresh, third-party proof, you're filtered out before sales ever gets a shot.
Key takeaways PR teams can act on
- 47% of enterprise buyers start with AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google Gemini.
- Google Search (43%), vendor websites (42%) and trade publications (40%) now trail AI as the first step.
- 93% use AI to summarize and compare vendors during evaluation.
- 90% say recent third-party coverage directly influences shortlists.
- 92% say coverage in the past 90 days matters to credibility.
What this means for PR and Comms
AI isn't creating credibility; it's aggregating it. Assistants pull from earned media, analyst notes and third-party validation to form vendor comparisons.
Buyers lean on those AI-generated summaries more than your website copy. If your coverage is thin or stale, you're invisible when shortlists are formed.
The 90-day coverage cadence
Recency now equals relevance. The report shows a clear bias toward coverage published in the past quarter. That means your team needs a consistent drumbeat, not sporadic spikes tied only to launches or funding.
- Prioritize product reviews, customer proof and analyst mentions that AI can cite.
- Refresh thought leadership every 60-90 days with distinct angles, not recycled talking points.
- Sequence announcements so each has a clear narrative and target outlet set.
Press-to-pipeline activation plan
- Own the category query: Audit how AI assistants summarize your space. Identify missing proof points and fill those with credible coverage.
- Build a repeatable newsroom: Monthly pitches, quarterly anchor moments and a standing byline program. Treat media like a pipeline channel with targets and SLAs.
- Analyst and reviewer flywheel: Brief on roadmap, secure mentions, then amplify. Package comparative data that makes inclusion easy.
- Customer proof that travels: Publish case studies, but also pitch customers for press quotes and joint interviews.
- Structured facts: Make stats, customers, integrations and use cases easy to extract. Clear pages, consistent language, and media-ready assets.
- Narrative testing: A/B your positioning across pitches, bylines and social. Keep what journalists pick up; drop what stalls.
Measure what AI (and buyers) actually see
- Share of credible voice: Track mentions across top-tier, trades and analyst notes that assistants surface.
- Recency score: Ensure meaningful hits inside the 90-day window.
- Comparative lift: Monitor how assistants rank or summarize you vs. 3-5 key competitors.
- Press-to-pipeline: Tie coverage clusters to inbound demo requests and influenced opportunities.
How enterprise buyers are using AI
Nearly half start discovery with AI tools. During evaluation, 93% ask assistants to summarize or compare vendors. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are the dominant platforms, each used by 66% of respondents.
Why earned media matters more now
Assistants condense third-party consensus. Repeated, credible coverage signals authority; a lack of it signals irrelevance. Your PR output is feeding the summaries buyers read first.
Methodology snapshot
Findings are based on a Censuswide survey of 300 senior B2B buyers (CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, VPs and Directors) across Retail, Finance, Healthcare, Industrial/Manufacturing and Telecommunications. Fieldwork ran December 4-9, 2025.
Next steps for your team
- Run an AI visibility audit: how do major assistants describe your company and category?
- Plan a 90-day coverage sprint focused on third-party proof and analyst mentions.
- Operationalize a quarterly cadence that compounds authority over time.
Need to upskill your team on AI-informed media strategy? Explore AI for PR & Communications for practical playbooks and tactics.
About Treble
Treble is a B2B tech PR agency focused on earned media, analyst relations and thought leadership for companies from startup to enterprise. The firm has supported 31 successful exits and has been recognized by Ragan Communications, PR Daily, the Business Intelligence Group and the Inc. 5000 Regionals Southwest list.
Get the report or request an assessment
For the full Press-to-Pipeline Activation in the Age of AI report-or to request a free AI Visibility & Earned Media Readiness Assessment-email newbiz@treblepr.com. For media inquiries, contact media@treblepr.com.
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