The rise of AI-powered content is impossible to ignore. Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping how information is created, shared, and consumed at a scale we’ve never seen before. But beyond the buzz around productivity or automation, there’s a more subtle but critical shift happening: AI is fundamentally changing how people build, lose, and defend their reputation online.
A recent paper by Uri Samet, CEO of Buzz Dealer, suggests that LLMs, despite their flaws, have sparked a noticeable change in user behavior when it comes to fact-checking and digital trust. While these tools can amplify misinformation, they’ve also made users more skeptical, more cautious, and more determined to verify what they see online. For brands, this has major implications for reputation management, digital PR, and search visibility.
The Double-Edged Sword of AI Content
AI is flooding the internet with content. Some of it is useful. Some of it is biased, misleading, or entirely fabricated. Samet’s research points to an interesting consequence of this reality: as users interact more frequently with AI-generated content, they’re developing sharper instincts for critical thinking, especially younger, digitally native audiences.
This doesn’t just apply to academic debates. It impacts how people perceive brands, leaders, and organizations in real time. Users are learning to trust nothing and verify everything, and that mindset is now part of the digital landscape brands must operate in.
What This Means for Your Online Reputation
The traditional reputation management often assumes that audiences are passive. That’s no longer true. Today’s users are actively questioning the information they encounter, and that includes content about your brand.
Samet’s research also highlights how AI limitations, particularly hallucinations, biases, and occasional inaccuracies, have made users more vigilant. The positive side? Brands that double down on credibility, consistency, and digital authority have an opportunity to stand out. The risk? Brands that ignore this shift leave themselves vulnerable to misinformation filling the gaps.
Here’s how businesses should adapt:
1. Treat SEO as a Reputation Tool, Not Just a Traffic Channel
Search visibility is no longer about clicks alone. It’s about control. When people search for your name, they’re often looking for proof: credibility signals, positive media coverage, consistent messaging. AI-generated content only raises the stakes, increasing the volume of information (and misinformation) users must sift through. Your branded search results need to work harder to earn trust.
2. Build Digital PR That Reinforces Authority
Digital PR isn’t about vanity metrics. It’s a strategic shield. High-authority articles, media features, thought leadership, and optimized profiles help push accurate, trustworthy narratives to the forefront. The more credible your digital footprint, the harder it becomes for AI-fueled misinformation to stick.
3. Strengthen Your Brand’s Defense Mechanism
Users are fact-checking with or without your help. Providing transparent, accessible, and consistent information across platforms gives them fewer reasons to question your credibility. The brands that win in this new environment are those that preemptively address doubts, not those that scramble to clean up after a reputational hit.
Turning AI’s Challenge Into a Strategic Advantage
One more interesting point from Samet’s paper is the paradox at play. AI’s imperfections are forcing users to become more discerning, and that’s a good thing for brands willing to invest in long-term reputation strategies. If your digital presence is strong, aligned, and optimized, skeptical users will still find the right story.
At Buzz Dealer, we’ve been helping brands, executives, and organizations navigate the evolving digital landscape for over a decade. From reputation management to digital PR and SEO, our focus is building resilient, credible, and AI-proof online footprints.
Want to protect your brand in an AI-driven world?
Let’s talk about how to safeguard your digital reputation before misinformation does the damage.