As part of Nutraceuticals World’s 2026 State of the Industry review, Buck Foley, ROCKON Media, outlines how AI-driven discovery is replacing traditional search behavior. He argues that nutraceutical brands must adapt by publishing credible, evidence-based content optimized for AI interpretation to remain visible as consumers increasingly turn to chatbots and large language models for product recommendations and health insights.

For a lot of us 2025 will be the year of tariffs and AI. The former proved to be detrimental to many businesses, mine included. The latter is a major opportunity.

Earlier this year, I started delving into AI search optimization. I got my modest recruiting website to appear ahead of LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter in Large Language Models for multiple common recruiting queries. I was shocked that someone with minimal resources could compete directly with tech giants and win. It made me realize how big the opportunity is now that the game has changed.  

Artificial intelligence is becoming the backbone of how information is found, processed, and trusted online. With hundreds of billions being invested into AI by tech corporations, this technology is no longer experimental. It is the new infrastructure for discovery. It is already affecting how consumers, practitioners, and investors find nutraceutical brands.

ChatGPT alone sees tens of millions of daily interactions. Millennials and Gen Z are adopting AI at a rapid pace. They are using it to research products, compare dosages, and evaluate supplement brands. People are not browsing through pages of blue links. They are asking AI directly for recommendations. The way a brand appears in those AI-generated results is becoming the new introduction to that brand. If your company is not included in those results, you are invisible to the people actively looking for what you provide.

AI search optimization isn’t the same as SEO. Traditional SEO is about ranking. AI search optimization is about being included, interpreted correctly, and cited when someone asks an AI a specific question. AI models do not just list content. They read it and decide whether it is credible.

If your content is unclear or generic, it will be left out. But when companies publish useful, credible, and consistent information, AI systems elevate them. For nutraceutical brands, that is a natural advantage. This industry is already rooted in education and transparency.

The companies that embrace AI search optimization now will own visibility in 2026.

AI search is not replacing traditional marketing. It is amplifying real expertise. And for companies willing to adapt, it is the biggest growth opportunity heading into the New Year.