Did Google’s AI just prioritise the need for real credibility?

On LinkedIn, we shared an update on how Google’s AI mode has been launched, signalling a shift in the platform from being a discovery platform to a destination.

Google just made a hefty announcement. Google’s AI Mode has been launched and that marks a shift from what was a discovery platform to an answer engine. This signals a major change in how users will interact with search. So while it doesn’t mark the end of traditional search and paid models, it does signal a huge shift. With this development, Google effectively goes from finding the answers to creating them - from being the directory to being the destination. What this means is that the value of credibility is rising and brands need to establish authority, or risk being deprioritised or ignored in AI results.

Today marks just another day for major change and here’s what we know.

1. Credibility has never been more important

As AI modes deepen, the benefits of ad spends may also evolve, especially in informational contexts. Google’s AI Mode means it will now prioritise sources it deems reliable, meaning reputation, not reach, decides discoverability.

2. Prioritising your trust signal is critical

If AI prioritises credibility, the only way to show up is to build a visible history of trust through consistent, high-quality coverage, thought leadership, and third-party validation. In short, you have to be talked about, quoted, and credible enough that AI can’t ignore you.

3. The stories we tell today feed the datasets tomorrow’s AI will draw from.

PR shapes how AI learns about brands, but here’s the tension point as AI rises, audiences are drowning in content. Voice prompts, calls, emails, inbounds, you name it, people are overwhelmed. What worked even just ten months ago will no longer cut through. Companies now need to think much more creatively about how they connect. That means leaning into PR but also experiences that build genuine connection, not just attention.

4. Stand tall (really tall) on your meaning

That’s going to cut through automation. As we embark on the content overload era, a distinctive brand voice becomes a competitive edge. PR gives that meaning structure, consistency, and amplification.

As AI stitches together the web’s stories, it’s the stories told about your brand that decide whether you’re seen, trusted or totally forgotten. Credibility is no longer claimed; it's earned.