You’re tracking Share of Voice.
You’ve got a handle on Share of Search.
But there’s a new metric that’s reshaping brand relevance in real time — and it’s powered by machines, not marketers.
Share of Model (SOM) is fast becoming a strategic signal for modern leadership.
It measures how well your brand is perceived and represented by Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta’s Llama 2.
Put simply: if someone asks an AI for a recommendation in your category — will it name you? Or your competitors?
What’s Changed — And Why It Matters
AI models are influencing decision-making from product discovery to supplier selection. They’re not just delivering answers. They’re shaping opinions.
And here’s the catch:
LLMs don’t think like humans. They rely on structured, well-connected, clearly signposted digital content to form their “understanding” of your brand.
Which means your brand visibility to humans and machines is no longer the same thing.
Being findable to a person is one thing.
Being understood and recommended by an AI is another.
And that’s where Share of Model comes in.
SOM in Context: It’s Not Just Another Marketing Metric
Here’s how it fits in with other key indicators of brand presence and performance:
| Metric | Tells you… |
|---|
| Share of Voice | How often your brand is heard in traditional and digital media |
| Share of Search | How often people actively seek your brand online |
| Share of Model | How AI perceives, prioritises, and promotes your brand |
SOM doesn’t replace these — it builds on them.
It reflects your digital readiness for an AI-driven world.
What L&D and Brand Leaders Should Be Thinking About
This isn’t just a marketing issue. It’s a leadership conversation.
For L&D and Capability Leaders:
- Are we equipping teams to create content and messaging that’s AI-ready?
- Do our people understand how language, structure, and consistency impact how models perceive the brand?
- Are we embedding AI literacy across the organisation — not just in data or marketing teams?
For Brand and Strategy Leaders:
- Are we monitoring how LLMs describe our brand, products, and services?
- Do we have a plan to actively shape and strengthen our SOM?
- How are we aligning content strategy, brand narrative, and technical SEO to support AI discoverability?
This is about brand equity, digital reputation, and future visibility — all rolled into one.
Leadership Discussion Prompts
To guide the conversation at the next board meeting, or Leadership offsite:
- What is our current Share of Model — and how do we measure it?
- Where are we being outperformed by competitors in AI-generated recommendations?
- Are we prepared for the shift in consumer behaviour driven by AI interaction?
- Who in the business owns this? Who else should be at the table?
- What capabilities — strategic, digital, creative — do we need to build now to stay relevant?
The Risk of Invisibility
Share of Model isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a visibility issue. A perception issue.
And soon, it will be a commercial issue.
If AI models aren’t mentioning your brand, they’re recommending someone else’s.
If your teams aren’t thinking about how LLMs learn, you’re falling behind.
And if you’re not shaping your brand’s digital signals, you’re letting others define your story.
Final Word: Make It a Leadership Priority
L&D and Brand leaders sit at the intersection of capability and communication.
This is your moment to step in — to educate, equip, and align.
Because Share of Model doesn’t just reflect how AI sees your brand.
It reflects how ready you are for the future.
Cognitive Union is a progressive, boutique learning and performance consultancy. We work with forward-thinking businesses. Transforming their people. Shaping their culture. Helping them embrace change and take on the world. Find this blog useful? Sign up to our email newsletter (bottom of this page), where you can receive articles like this and other insights (not publicly published), and you can also follow us on LinkedIn.