AI Is Rewriting the Demand Game

Hello!

Welcome to The Shortlist! I’m so glad you’re here!

Way back in 2024, the best B2B marketing teams use behavioral and contextual signals to prioritize accounts, refine their targeting, and sharpen their content strategy. But now, things have changed.

AI is rewriting how buyers research, making traditional intent signals harder to track.

Which brings us to my new obsession…

In an AI-first era, that means rethinking intent, content, and how we show up before buyers even reach us. You can’t just chase demand anymore—you have to shape it.

This is also the edition where I say, “AI is quietly shutting off the lights.” Sounds like the party is over…but I have some other ideas!

Alright, let’s get to it!

Your ICP Evolves - Are You Showing Up?

Yes, ICP criteria include industry, company size, and job title—but that’s just the foundation.

Your ICP isn’t a list—it’s a strategy. A living, evolving framework that needs to adapt as buying behavior shifts. And AI is changing buyer behavior fast.

I don’t want marketers to miss this: AI-powered search is removing intent signals we used to rely on.

Unlike Google or traditional "dark funnel" insights from platforms like 6sense, we don’t have visibility into how buyers research within AI models. This means organic traffic will decline, and intent signals could weaken.

👉 What does this mean for your ICP strategy? You need to shape demand—not just react to it.

AI is not just another channel—it’s rewriting how buyers find and process information. That means you need to create content that AI surfaces rather than just optimizing for search.

How to Show Up in an AI-Driven World

Answer real buyer questions clearly—AI models prioritize structured, well-explained insights.
Develop original, unique insights—AI rewards differentiated perspectives over generic SEO playbooks.
Be the source buyers trust—If AI is pulling from industry experts, be the expert.
Double down on website visits—With AI keeping buyers inside the chat interface, your website and owned media becomes one of the strongest intent signals.

Your ICP strategy isn’t just about targeting your best buyers—it’s about showing up where they’re researching, adapting to new buying behaviors, and making it easier for them to trust you.

Intent from the Dark Funnel: AI Is Quietly Shutting off the Lights

Buyers have always done 70%+ of their research before talking to sales. But now? They’re making decisions in places we can’t track.

Here’s what’s happening:

🚦 AI chat removes traditional search intent signals. Buyers used to Google questions, visit blogs, and download reports. Now, they get full answers inside AI.
🚦 Organic traffic is declining. If AI chatbots provide all the info, fewer people will click through to websites.
🚦 The dark funnel is getting even darker. Platforms like 6sense and Bombora rely on tracking content consumption, ad engagement, and web activity. But if buyers research inside AI, those signals disappear.

Your buyers are making decisions in places you can’t see. If your strategy still relies on search-based intent signals, you’re playing a game that’s already changed.

The One Signal That Still Matters

With AI hiding early-stage research, one of the strongest remaining signals of real intent is website engagement.

✔ AI removes casual search traffic—leaving only serious buyers. If someone still your website after AI research , it’s because they need more than AI can give them.
✔ High-intent pages reveal buying behavior. Pricing pages, demo requests, deep-dive content—this is where real intent lives.
✔ Shift from lead gen to engagement tracking. Forget MQL counts. The real indicators now are repeat visits, session duration, and content depth.

Fewer visits, higher intent. Your website is no longer just a lead gen asset—it’s a critical demand signal.

The TL:DR

🔹 AI is erasing the traditional signals we used to track demand.
🔹 Organic traffic may decline as AI chat answers replace search clicks.
🔹 Intent data from content consumption and ads will be weaker.
🔹 Website visits are now a critical indicator of real buyer interest.

The marketing playbook has to change. Instead of relying on intent data that’s disappearing, the best teams will focus on owned engagement, create content AI surfaces, and optimize for deeper buyer interactions.

👉 The companies that figure this out first will win. The ones who don’t? Well, they might be wondering why their pipeline dried up.

Final Thought: You Don’t Capture Demand—You Shape It

Your next buyers aren’t just sitting in a CRM waiting to be nurtured.

They’re consuming content, forming opinions, and making decisions long before they ever engage with your team.

The best marketers don’t just wait for demand—they actively shape it.

Until the next time…

I’ll see you on LinkedIn. Happy Marketing and thanks for reading!

Shannon