Guide to Responsibly Measure AI Influence
AMEC, the International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication, launched the AMEC GEO Principles and an accompanying guide on 20 May at their Global Summit in Dublin. This event, chaired by Rayna Grudova-de Lange, highlighted the evolving role of AI in communications.
These resources are designed to aid communications professionals in measuring the growing impact of AI-led discovery, generative search, and large language models. With AI-generated summaries and conversational search becoming more prevalent, organisations need accurate methods to understand their online representation.
The GEO Principles were developed through a collaborative effort over more than six months. Key contributors included James Crawford from PR Agency One, Mary Elizabeth Germaine of Ketchum, Ben Levine from FleishmanHillard TRUE Global Intelligence, Matt Oakley of Hotwire Global, and Amber Daugherty of Big Valley Marketing. The development process involved input from AMEC’s Agency Group, board members, academics, vendors, and practitioners, ensuring a comprehensive approach.
Framework for AI-Led Measurement
The principles focus on three interconnected areas: upstream reputation signals, search and content readiness, and downstream AI outputs. Upstream signals include earned coverage, third-party commentary, and expert content. Search readiness examines the organisation’s digital presence. Downstream outputs consider how organisations are represented in AI-generated answers, including potential reputational risks.
Baseline evidence requirements are introduced, including repeatable prompts and transparent assumptions, cautioning against treating AI outputs as absolute truth. The principles emphasise that AI outputs should serve as directional evidence rather than definitive conclusions.
James Crawford, Managing Director of PR Agency One, highlighted the industry’s need for rigorous standards: “These principles give the industry a more rigorous way of looking at AI-led discovery: one that recognises its importance, but also its limits.”
Johna Burke, CEO of AMEC, emphasised the importance of transparency and accountability in AI-driven communications measurement. She noted the collaborative effort in developing the principles, reflecting diverse expertise from agencies, academics, and technology leaders. According to Burke, these principles will help set a new standard for evaluating AI’s impact in the communications industry.
