Sydney, Australia – Hotwire, the global communications and marketing consultancy, has announced the launch of its global AI innovation team for consultancy and first proprietary AI tool, GAIO.tech, that delivers unique insight into brand reputation, influence, and recommendations by AI chatbots.
GAIO.tech is the first in a series of AI technology and consulting solutions Hotwire will launch in the coming months to help global brands use AI as part of their marketing and communications strategies to better meet business goals.
With Hotwire’s GAIO.tech, marketing and communications professionals in technology and innovation companies will better understand how their brand and products show up in AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, as well as the opportunities to influence these answers.
While search engine optimisation (SEO) focuses on keywords and backlinks, GAIO.tech enables brands to use generative artificial intelligence optimisation (GAIO) to analyse brand mentions in AI chatbots. It identifies the most prominent answers and sources, revealing which media outlets, channels, and influencers are prioritised. This insight will help PR and marketing teams better understand how generative AI-powered research and responses impact brand reputation and visibility, allowing them to refine their strategies accordingly.
Hotwire also appointed Sven Winnefeld as vice president for AI innovation to lead the AI team across its global organisation. This team will consult clients on their AI strategies and communications programmes, as well as develop a suite of proprietary AI-powered solutions.
Earlier this year, as part of its ongoing AI consultancy, Hotwire released a report titled ‘Brand Narratives in the Age of AI’ in partnership with the think tank House of Beautiful Business. This report includes insights from leading AI experts, including journalists, cyber-psychologists, designers, and brand leaders, to explore the AI trends and narratives influencing the business landscape and societal perceptions. It also introduces a new brand positioning framework for communications and marketing leaders to benchmark and develop their own AI narratives.
Commenting on the launch, Winnefeld said, “As consumers and B2B buyers increasingly turn to generative AI for research, it will only become more important that marketing and communications teams understand how consumers are using these tools and develop strategies to best position their company and products. GAIO.tech delivers insights into the answers of ChatGPT and other AI chatbots, including the identification of the most cited products, brands, and sources. This tool is just the start of Hotwire’s work with AI to give our clients the insights they need to create the most effective marketing and communications programmes for the future.”
Heather Kernahan, global chief executive officer at Hotwire, also explained, “According to MuckRack’s State of AI in PR 2024 report, 64% of PR pros now use generative AI tools, compared to just 28% a year ago. This rapid adoption will shape how AI is used in PR and marketing to engage target audiences and stakeholders. By launching a team dedicated to AI innovation for communications and marketing, we can set our clients ahead of competitors through unique AI insights and technologies, done responsibly. Working with and understanding how best to deploy AI will allow global brands to build stronger reputations and relationships that boost customer retention and revenues.”
