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AI Search is changing how marketers drive traffic, leads, and sales.
The problem is that AI Search is evolving constantly. From Google releasing AI Mode to ChatGPT’s launch of Atlas, 2025 brought rapid changes that are forcing businesses to consistently rethink how they approach their AI Search Optimisation strategy. With updates rolling out fast, staying informed is essential but time-consuming.
That’s where proven thought leaders come in. The right voices don’t just report on trends; they test strategies, share what works, and help marketing leaders take action with confidence.
We share eight AI thought leaders who are worth your attention in 2026.
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What Makes an AI Search Thought Leader Worth Following?
Not everyone talking about AI Search deserves your limited attention.
But the thought leaders worth following share three qualities:
- They prioritise tested strategy. Real AI thought leaders run experiments, share results, and aren’t afraid to highlight what doesn’t work.
- They translate complexity into action. The best thought leaders in AI explain why changes matter, what they mean for your business, and precisely what to do next.
- They connect AI Search to business strategy. Top AI thought leaders link AI developments to revenue growth, competitive positioning, and smart resource use.
Follow thought leaders who demonstrate these qualities, and you’ll make better decisions faster while avoiding costly missteps.
Top 8 Thought Leaders in AI Search
Here’s your quick reference guide to the AI search experts worth following:
| Name | Company | What Sets Them Apart |
| Charlie Marchant | Exposure Ninja | Translates AI Search trends into data-driven strategies that increase traffic, leads, and conversions. |
| Tim Cameron-Kitchen | Exposure Ninja | Connects AI Search developments to real business outcomes backed by client data and testing. |
| Josh Blyskal | Profound | Runs large-scale AI Search experiments, revealing data-backed insights on visibility and platform behaviour. |
| Rand Fishkin | SparkToro | Provides audience research on how AI Search shapes user behaviour and the marketing funnel. |
| Ryan Law | Ahrefs | Shares actionable frameworks for creating content optimised for both AI and traditional search. |
| Leigh McKenzie | Semrush | Turns AI Search research into clear, practical insights for marketing leaders. |
| Malte Landwehr | Peec AI | Offers data-driven AI Search insights grounded in two decades of SEO experience and strategic analysis. |
| Nick Lafferty | Profound | Practical advice on adapting marketing strategies to the latest AI Search updates. |
1. Charlie Marchant (Exposure Ninja)
Charlie Marchant, CEO of Exposure Ninja, is a recognised international speaker on AI Search and search marketing.
Her focus is on building AI Search strategies that deliver measurable impact on traffic, leads, and conversions. What sets Charlie apart is how she grounds every recommendation in data. Her insights come directly from client campaigns and ongoing testing across multiple platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Charlie’s expertise lies in turning AI Search trends into practical strategies for mid-market and enterprise businesses. She clearly explains what’s changing, why it matters, and how to respond. From choosing the right AI platforms to integrating AI Search Optimisation with existing SEO, Charlie helps brands make confident, informed decisions about their search strategy.
Where to follow Charlie:
- The Digital Marketing Podcast by Exposure Ninja (on Spotify and Apple)
- Exposure Ninja YouTube
- Exposure Ninja Blog
- Marketing Events, like BrightonSEO and MozCon.
AI Search is a fundamental shift in how people discover brands, products, and services. It’s generative, contextual, and focused on brand authority. Visibility is no longer about keywords alone; it’s about being genuinely useful and referenced by trusted sources. The businesses that adapt early will be the ones that grow faster while others are left behind.
CEO
2. Tim Cameron-Kitchen (Exposure Ninja)
Tim Cameron-Kitchen, Founder of Exposure Ninja, is one of the leading voices in AI Search Optimisation.
With more than 21 years of experience in digital marketing, he focuses on helping businesses adapt to the rise of AI Search with strategies that deliver measurable results. He shares these strategies on the Exposure Ninja YouTube channel, which recently surpassed 100,000 subscribers! This is a significant milestone for a marketing agency and a reflection of the content’s practical value and relevance.
Tim stands out for his ability to connect AI Search trends to business outcomes. He explains how shifts in AI affect lead generation, sales performance, and marketing investment decisions. His advice is grounded in real client data and continuous testing, helping marketers prioritise AI tactics for their brand.
Where to follow Tim Cameron-Kitchen:
The rise in AI Search is inevitable. We’re already seeing a shift in user behaviour and traffic data. Businesses that ignore AI Search Optimisation risk becoming invisible, even if their traditional SEO is solid.
Founder
3. Josh Blyskal (Profound)
Josh Blyskal, Leading AEO Strategy & Research at Profound, is an AI thought leader worth following if you’re looking for data-backed insights.
Josh regularly runs AI Search experiments at scale and openly shares the results. For example, at BrightonSEO, Josh presented findings from an audit of over 40 million AI Search results across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Copilot. His key insight was that only 12% of results in AI Search overlap with Google search, showing that AI engines operate on fundamentally different rules.
In a webinar with Charlie Marchant, Josh dives into the differences between SEO and AI Search Optimisation, helping marketers gain the confidence to try new strategies that boost AI Share of Voice.
Where to follow Josh:
4. Rand Fishkin (SparkToro)
Rand Fishkin, Founder of SparkToro, has long been recognised as an SEO expert. Now, he’s offering valuable insight into the broader implications of AI Search on marketing strategy.
Rand’s audience research explores how people are actually using AI search tools. In collaboration with Datos, he recently released the State of Search Q3 2025 Report, which answers key questions such as which AI platforms users prefer and how these tools influence different stages of the buyer journey.
His work is especially useful for marketing leaders and CMOs looking to understand market behaviour before allocating budget to new AI channels.
Where to follow Rand:
5. Ryan Law (Ahrefs)
Ryan Law, Director of Content at Ahrefs, is a leading voice in creating AI-friendly content that drives both AI and organic visibility.
Ryan’s approach combines traditional content marketing expertise with AI Search Optimisation. He shares actionable frameworks for topic selection, content structure, and distribution, all designed to maximise visibility in a fragmented search environment.
Where to follow Ryan:
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6. Leigh McKenzie (Semrush)
Leigh McKenzie, Director of Online Visibility at Semrush, specialises in translating AI Search research into practical guidance for marketers.
His greatest value is taking Semrush experiments, like the recent study on how query fan-out affects brand visibility in AI answers, and turning the findings into clear, usable insights. For CMOs and marketing leaders, Leigh’s content is a shortcut to understanding what actually works in AI Search without needing to dig through technical reports.
Where to follow Leigh:
7. Malte Landwehr (Peec AI)
Malte Landwehr, CPO & CMO of Peec AI, brings 20+ years of SEO experience to deliver expert insights into AI Search.
His content blends strategic insight with hard data. On LinkedIn, he regularly shares articles and deep-dive posts that unpack AI Search trends, often challenging common assumptions and offering alternative views. He’s also known for sharing ideas from conversations with other senior marketers, making his content especially relevant for decision-makers navigating changing strategies.
Where to follow Malte:
8. Nick Lafferty (Profound)
Nick Lafferty, Growth Marketing at Profound, focuses on practical advice to help you win in AI Search.
He stays on top of the latest updates from platforms like ChatGPT and regularly shares how these changes impact visibility. Nick also posts key takeaways from the events he attends or speaks at, offering busy marketing teams a quick way to stay informed without needing to follow every trend.
Where to follow Nick:
Partner With AI Search Experts
Following the right thought leaders in AI Search helps you stay informed. But turning AI Search insights into real business growth takes expertise and continuous testing.
At Exposure Ninja, we help mid-market and enterprise businesses build and execute AI Search Optimisation strategies that generate leads and increase revenue. Our team tracks the latest AI developments and turns them into actionable tactics, so you can stay competitive without wasting time on trial and error.
Request an AI and SEO audit today, and we’ll show you where your biggest AI Search opportunities lie.
FAQs
Where do AI thought leaders usually share their updates?
LinkedIn is often the main platform for AI Search thought leaders, with most experts sharing daily or weekly insights there. This is a great place to start with finding thought leaders who share helpful, relevant content to help you dominate in AI Search.
Why should CMOs follow thought leaders in AI Search?
AI Search is evolving faster than any marketing channel in recent memory, and there are costs to falling behind. Following AI thought leaders provides you with curated, strategic insights without requiring full-time resources to monitor every development. They translate technical changes into business strategy, helping you make confident decisions that protect and grow your competitive position.
Can following AI thought leaders replace hiring an AI Search agency?
Following AI thought leaders provides valuable insights into data and trends, but can’t replace hands-on implementation and strategic expertise from an AI Search agency. The most effective approach combines learning from thought leaders with partnering with specialists who can execute a strategy tailored to your goals.
*Disclosure: This page contains referral links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
