As artificial intelligence reshapes the landscape of online discovery, a leading Canadian public relations agency has launched a new service designed to help business-to-business (B2B) companies remain visible. Toronto-based Marigold PR has introduced PRplus: AI Influence, a strategic communications program created to boost brand presence in AI-generated search results.
The AI Search Revolution and Its Impact on Brands
The launch, announced on November 13, 2025, responds to a fundamental shift in how consumers and businesses find information. Research indicates that over 80% of consumers now rely on AI-generated responses for at least 40% of their online searches. Unlike traditional search engines, generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity pull data primarily from earned media and high-authority, third-party sources.
A 2025 Muck Rack report underscores this change, finding that 95% of links cited by generative AI models come from non-paid media. Nearly half of the citations for recent queries use journalism to inform their answers. This new reality means that traditional marketing tools like paid advertisements, branded blogs, and social media content are no longer sufficient to ensure a brand's discoverability.
How PRplus: AI Influence Addresses the Challenge
Marigold PR developed the PRplus program to help companies maintain their visibility as AI transforms information discovery. The program is designed for B2B brands across North America, with a particular focus on the cannabis, technology, and industrial sectors.
It combines proven public relations tactics with specialized AI discoverability reporting. The service helps businesses earn credible media coverage, increase their citations in AI-generated search results, and track their visibility across various AI platforms. Each package includes key message development, a professionally written press release, targeted media outreach, an AI search audit, and comprehensive post-campaign reporting with clear next steps.
A Critical Tool for Regulated Industries
The challenge of discoverability is even more pronounced for highly regulated industries like cannabis. Legal barriers often limit how these brands can promote themselves online, resulting in fewer data signals available to AI models. A recent report from McKinsey & Company found that only 16% of brands proactively measure and manage their AI visibility.
The report also highlighted a significant advantage for companies that prioritize their media presence: brands in the top quartile for web mentions receive up to 10 times more visibility from AI overviews. In a saturated market like cannabis, being surfaced by AI is quickly becoming a key factor for establishing brand authority and generating inbound leads. This makes press releases, expert interviews, and media features dual-purpose tools—serving both as reputation builders and as critical inputs for AI search algorithms.
Katie Pringle, CEO and Co-founder of Marigold PR, emphasized the significance of this shift. "This is a turning point for communications. Generative AI is rewriting the rules," Pringle stated. "The brands that've been investing in PR are ahead of the curve and seeing the results, and those who haven't yet have a real opportunity to gain ground. We always respond to change with strategy, and PRplus is a solution for our clients in a new era of search."
