Brandlight Named Leader in CB Insights ESP Ranking for Generative Engine Optimization

The AI search revolution is accelerating, and Brandlight is leading the charge. CB Insights has recognized Brandlight as a Leader in their latest Emerging Service Provider (ESP) ranking for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) monitoring platforms, validation that we're positioned to help enterprise brands navigate the fundamental shift in how consumers discover, consider, and convert.

The Multi-Trillion Dollar Channel Shift

Traffic from generative AI platforms to US e-commerce sites surged 4,700% year-over-year in July 2025. With OpenAI's September 2025 rollout of in-platform checkout via Shopify and Stripe, consumers can now search, decide, and purchase entirely within ChatGPT, without ever leaving the AI interface.

This isn't just a new feature. It's the emergence of AI as a marketing channel where search, commerce, and soon ads converge inside environments like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. For brands, visibility in AI-generated responses has become the new competitive battleground.

Building the Operating System for AI Marketing

‍"At Brandlight, we're building the marketing platform of the future: an operating system for AI as a marketing channel," says Imri Marcus, Brandlight CEO. "While competitors focus on GEO tools for SEO teams, we're enabling Fortune 500 CMOs to capture the full scope of AI-driven marketing, from visibility to distribution, serving the entire enterprise marketing organization."

CB Insights' Leader positioning reflects this strategic differentiation. With clients including Estée Lauder, Kimberly-Clark, Samsung, and Aetna, Brandlight's enterprise-first architecture and comprehensive data infrastructure enable organizations to scale as this channel matures, from monitoring AI visibility today to deploying marketing budgets within AI environments tomorrow.

The Strategic Imperative

For CMOs and marketing leaders, the message is clear: AI search is no longer emerging. It's here and accelerating. The brands winning in this channel treat AI visibility as strategic infrastructure, not a tactical experiment.

Brandlight's Leader recognition validates what our Fortune 500 clients already know: in an era where consumers discover, research, and purchase through AI, brand presence in AI-generated responses isn't optional. The question isn't whether to invest in AI channel optimization, but whether you can afford to cede this territory to competitors while the market is still forming.

Access the full report here.