The news: AI discovery is rewriting the rules of B2B marketing—and most CMOs admit they’re not ready. 

• 62% of B2B tech marketing leaders lack the skills, budget, or strategy to compete with AI-native firms, per a new report by 3Thinkrs. 
• 61% are updating strategies to boost AI discoverability, leaving one-third behind.

McKinsey estimates that 20% to 50% of traffic from traditional search channels is at risk as AI‑powered search becomes the main discovery layer. Marketers who aren’t building for generative engine optimization (GEO) risk being shut out.

Zooming in: CMOs say they are turning to structured content, PR, and new metrics like share of AI voice, or how frequently a brand is mentioned in AI summaries. Here are 3Thinkrs’ other findings:

• Listicles account for nearly 1 in 3 top-cited AI answers.
• AI deprioritizes content older than 30 to 60 days.
• GEO metrics now track AI visibility, citation share, and share of AI voice—key figures that 33% of CMOs say they report directly to CEOs.

As AI systems synthesize content across channels, brands without a consistent story risk being misrepresented—or missed. Nearly two-thirds (61%) say they’re only “mildly proficient” or worse at aligning brand narratives across PR, sales, and marketing.

Takeaway for brands: AI tools are increasingly deciding what consumers see, and brands that don’t adapt could disappear from view. CMOs need to focus less on keyword rankings and more on staying visible in AI-powered summaries and answers.

That means publishing fresher content, showing up in trusted news sources, and telling a consistent story across every channel. It also means learning new metrics that track how often your brand is mentioned by AI, not just humans.