MANCHESTER, England, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Democracy PR, recently recognised as the fastest-growing PR agency outside London, has today published a new insight report.
The Power of I explores how UK businesses are responding to the rise of AI search and how they plan to harness the expertise of their people to build authority and visibility within large language models (LLMs).
Based on a Censuswide survey of 100 UK business leaders, The Power of I examines how organisations assess subject-matter expertise within their teams and the barriers preventing them from capitalising on the opportunity.
The report features commentary from Sarah Waddington, CEO of the PRCA, who provides an industry-wide perspective on the role of people-led communications in the AI era.
It also includes insights from brand experts and academics, bringing the findings together into practical recommendations for businesses looking to strengthen their visibility in AI search.
How is AI search changing the landscape for brands?
With up to 90% of online searches now using some form of AI, brands are facing a fundamental shift in how visibility is earned.
As stated by Liz Reid, Google's Head of Search, Google's ranking systems are designed to reward high-quality content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) - principles that are becoming increasingly important in AI search.
Despite this shift, many organisations remain unprepared. Democracy reveals that one in three UK businesses cannot identify their own subject-matter experts, limiting their ability to build the credibility and authority that AI search rewards.
How are businesses using experts to improve AI visibility?
Democracy's new research reveals that UK businesses estimate they have an average of seven subject-matter experts, yet the majority are still failing to maximise their expertise.
Just one in five publish expert-led content on a weekly basis, suggesting that many businesses are missing opportunities to strengthen their presence in AI search through consistent, expert-driven content.
Which social media platforms are businesses using to promote their internal experts?
The report found that LinkedIn is the most widely used platform for promoting subject-matter experts, although businesses are increasingly taking a multi-channel approach to expert-led content -
- 64% LinkedIn
- 63% YouTube
- 51% Facebook
- 49% Instagram
- 33% TikTok
How is Democracy PR super-charging their clients in AI Search
Democracy PR has been helping clients build visibility in AI search since the early days of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), combining AI strategy with media training to help organisations identify, develop and amplify credible subject-matter experts.
By optimising expert-led content for both traditional and AI search, the agency helps brands build long-term authority, trust and discoverability.
Jennifer O'Grady, CEO of Democracy PR, said: "At Democracy, we've always believed that human expertise is a brand's most powerful asset.
"Our role is to help organisations amplify the people behind their brands, building the authority, credibility and trust that both AI and audiences value."
The report can be downloaded here.
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