No specific marketing team or function owns AI visibility, survey finds

Nearly half of marketers polled call AI visibility significant, yet ownership is fragmented and paid media is seen as most influential

ATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES, August 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Marketing and communications professionals are taking AI visibility seriously, but there is still little consensus on how to improve it. That’s according to a new survey conducted by Sword and the Script Media, LLC. The survey polled 200 U.S.-based marketing and communications professionals in July to understand how marketers are approaching AI visibility.

“At a high level, the data shows marketers tend to fall into three camps: advocates, fence-sitters and skeptics,” said Sword and the Script President Frank Strong. “More, but not most, are in the advocacy camp, which suggests more marketers are convinced AI is influencing awareness and demand. That’s the key — if AI is changing the behavior of customers and prospects — then it’s clearly significant to the marketing effort.”

Key findings from the survey

The findings show that while marketing professionals recognize the significance of AI visibility, opinions vary on which teams and channels have the greatest influence. Among the key findings are:

– Marketers say AI visibility is significant. Nearly half, 47%, said AI visibility is either highly significant or significant, while another 19% said it is moderately significant. However, 16% said AI visibility is not significant, and 6% remain unsure.

– Business leaders are asking marketing about AI visibility. Nearly two-thirds, 63%, said business leaders outside of marketing have asked about AI visibility. This includes 29% who said they have asked multiple times and 34% who said once or twice.

– No marketing team or function owns AI visibility. Marketing operations ranked highest at 17%, followed by product marketing at 14%, social media at 13% and creative/design at 13%. PR and communications ranked at just 3%.

– Oddly, paid media is viewed as having the greatest influence on AI visibility. More than one-third, 35%, selected paid media, followed by shared media at 28%, earned media at 24% and owned media at 14%. Other studies have shown AI visibility is most influenced by news coverage, press releases, and blog posts. The technology research firm Gartner has said it believes PR and communications functions should lead AI visibility efforts.

– Most marketers believe their teams have the skills to improve AI visibility. Nearly two-thirds, 65%, agreed or strongly agreed that their teams have the knowledge, skills and resources needed to improve AI visibility. Another 26% neither agreed nor disagreed, while 11% disagreed or strongly disagreed.

– Marketers believe AI will make human expertise more valuable. Most respondents, 61%, said AI visibility will make human expertise more or much more important. Another 29% said it will make no difference, while 10% believe human expertise will become less or much less important.

“The findings present a two-part challenge for marketing leaders: understanding how AI visibility is impacting their company and teaching their teams how to influence the results,” Strong continued. “Marketing teams should first look at how AI visibility is affecting their brand, customers, and prospects, and then make sure their teams understand what influences AI visibility.”

The full survey is freely available online without registration: Marketing sees AI visibility as significant.

About the survey
Sword and the Script Media surveyed 200 U.S.-based marketing and communications professionals in July 2026. Most respondents worked in-house (76%), and B2C professionals represented the largest segment surveyed.

Alex Austin Vollor
Sword and the Script Media , LLC
inquiry@swordandthescript.com
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook
X

Media gallery