You know which questions your customers type into Google. But what about the ones they ask ChatGPT? They're different — longer, more conversational, loaded with context and intent. And it's in those questions, not in search keywords, that your brand appears or vanishes in the AI era. These are the ten categories that matter most, with what each one reveals about the opportunity.
1. "What's the best X for [specific situation]?"
The recommendation question par excellence. The customer doesn't want a generic list; they describe their context ("for a team of 5," "for someone just starting") and expect a personalized answer. Appearing here, associated with the right context, is gold — it's the question closest to the decision.
2. "X or Y: which should I choose?"
The direct comparison between you and a named competitor. If the customer is here, they're close to deciding. What AI says about the matchup — who it favors, with what caveats — can settle the sale. And you don't even know this duel is happening unless you measure.
3. "How much does / how does pricing work for X?"
The factual pricing question. Here the bigger risk isn't absence, it's error: AI citing an outdated price or a structure that changed. Wrong pricing information can push away or frustrate the customer before the first contact.
4. "What are the alternatives to [leading brand or known tool]?"
The question that creates opportunity for challengers. Whoever searches for alternatives to a leader is open to discovering new names. If your brand consistently appears as a relevant alternative, you capture the intent of someone already dissatisfied with another option.
5. "How do I solve [problem your product solves]?"
The problem question, before the customer even knows a solution category exists. Appearing here, naturally, positions you as a reference at the start of the journey — long before product comparison.
6. "Is [your brand] trustworthy / good?"
The validation question. The customer already knows you and is checking your reputation with AI before moving forward. What AI answers here is your automated word of mouth. A hesitant tone or a caveat can quietly kill a sale.
7. "Is X worth it?"
A validation variant, more focused on value for money. AI weighs what's said about your delivered value versus the price. Being associated with concrete results and a fair value perception is what makes this answer play in your favor.
8. "What tools should I use for [goal or workflow]?"
The stack question, where the customer assembles a set of solutions. Here you want to be cited as a natural part of a workflow, alongside complementary tools. It's presence by association that many brands ignore.
9. "How do I [do something] using [type of tool]?"
The "how-to" question that mixes educational and commercial intent. Whoever answers it well — with content AI retrieves — becomes the brand remembered in execution, not just in choice. It's presence at the moment of use.
10. "What is [your industry] doing about [current trend]?"
The context and trend question, which seems far from the purchase but shapes leadership perception. Brands cited as protagonists of industry conversations gain an authority that spills over into every other question. It's positioning presence.
What to Do With This List
These ten categories aren't a script to memorize; they're a diagnostic to run. Take the real versions of them in your industry — with your language, your competitors, your problems — and see, in each model, what AI answers. You'll quickly discover that you appear in some, vanish in others, and sometimes appear with information you need to correct.
That's the map of your AI presence at the buying-intent edge. Tracking how your brand behaves on these key questions, over time and against competitors, is exactly what Genoma does — so you know not just whether you're in the game, but in which of the questions that actually decide.