We talk a lot about SEO.
We talk about distribution.
We talk about landing page optimization.
But something fundamental has shifted.
AI models are becoming the first layer of product discovery.
Before someone visits your website, they ask:
“What’s the best X for Y?”
“What’s the best alternative to Z?”
“How do I solve [problem]?”
And increasingly, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity answer before Google does.
I Ran an Experiment
I started testing how AI models describe and recommend dev tools across common buying queries.
Not just:
“What is Product X?”
But:
“What’s the best alternative to Flatfile?”
“What’s the best CSV import widget for React?”
“Should I build my own importer or use a third-party tool?”
What I saw surprised me.
AI models default to incumbents.
Even when newer tools exist.
Even when they’re cheaper.
Even when they’re arguably better for certain users.
If your product isn’t repeatedly reinforced in those conversations, you simply don’t exist at the moment of decision.
And most founders have no visibility into this layer.
The Weird Part
Mentions fluctuate.
Across scans.
Across models.
Across time.
One day you’re mentioned in 3 of 8 queries.
The next day it drops to 2.
Another model picks you up.
Another drops you.
It’s not traditional SEO.
It’s reinforcement dynamics.
AI systems build internal associations.
Those associations compound.
And unless you’re intentionally shaping them, competitors are.
So I Built Something to Monitor This
Not a content generator.
Not an SEO tool.
A monitoring system that:
Generates buying-intent queries in your category
Scans ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity
Measures presence, positioning, completeness, and stability
Shows where competitors are reinforced instead of you
Tracks changes over repeated scan cycles
The goal isn’t vanity metrics.
It’s understanding:
Which conversations are shaping your category — and who owns them.
Why I’m Posting This
I’m opening a small, paid beta (20 founders).
Not looking for mass users.
Not looking for curiosity clicks.
I’m looking for dev-tool / B2B SaaS founders who:
Care about positioning
Are shipping actively
Want to see how AI systems currently describe their product
Are willing to treat this as an experiment, not magic
It’s $49/month during beta.
Everything unlocked.
Direct feedback loop with me.
If this layer of product discovery matters to you, comment or DM and I’ll share details.
AI is shaping categories whether we participate or not.
I’m curious:
Have you ever asked ChatGPT what the “best tool” in your space is — and seen who it defaults to?
That moment was a wake-up call for me.
Would love to hear if others are thinking about this shift.
—
Gissur
Top comments (2)
This is a really interesting angle.
I’ve noticed the same thing — AI tools tend to repeat the same “default” names unless a product is already strongly reinforced online. If you’re not mentioned consistently across content, docs, comparisons, and discussions, you almost disappear at the decision stage.
Monitoring that layer makes a lot of sense, especially for early-stage SaaS founders who can’t rely only on traditional SEO anymore.
Curious to see how this evolves — feels like “AI visibility” is becoming as important as search rankings.
Appreciate that.
That’s exactly what triggered me to build this.
SEO optimizes for search engines.
But LLMs summarize, compare, and recommend before people ever click.
If your product isn’t reinforced in those summaries, you’re invisible at the moment of decision.
Still early — but I think this layer will become measurable and strategically managed, just like search was 15 years ago.