Findings from CAIO and executive strategist Chet Seely show that 9 out of 10 senior leaders do not appear in AI search, introducing hidden risks for careers, deals, and corporate reputation.

Many executives assume that years of leadership, public visibility, and professional success automatically translate into strong digital presence. New research shows that is no longer true in the age of AI.

A recent study led by executive strategist and Chief AI Officer Chet Seely found that 92 percent of corporate leaders do not appear in AI powered search results. They are absent from tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other emerging answer engines. In a landscape where AI is increasingly used to validate credibility, surface expertise, and inform decisions, this lack of visibility has become a barrier to career progression and is rapidly turning into a material business risk.

“AI systems have effectively become the new background check for professionals,” said Seely. “If executives are invisible to these systems, they are already missing from key conversations about hiring, investment, partnerships, and corporate influence.”

The Emerging Risk: Reputation Gaps in AI Driven Environments

Seely’s analysis shows that even experienced leaders who appear established on traditional platforms are often missing from AI search. This group includes executives who have:
• more than 20 years of leadership experience
• strong LinkedIn profiles
• a history of public speaking
• prior press coverage
• industry certifications and honors

Despite these credentials, many still fail to surface in AI generated results because there is no structured, machine readable visibility infrastructure supporting their profiles. Seely notes that the numbers are even worse for technical specialists and frontline supervisors who are earlier in their careers.

“This is not about vanity or personal branding,” Seely emphasized. “AI invisibility affects employer trust, investor due diligence, and the credibility signals that drive modern business decisions, including hiring. If a talent team is comparing two equally qualified candidates and only one appears in AI search, it is obvious which one has the advantage.”

Root Cause: Weak Entity Formation in AI Systems

According to Seely, the problem stems from poor or incomplete entity formation in AI systems. He highlights three technical shortcomings that cause leaders to disappear from AI search:
• unstructured or fragmented online data
• absence of strong and authoritative semantic signals
• lack of consistent entity reinforcement across platforms

“These systems cannot elevate what they cannot interpret,” Seely explained. “Leaders need to be indexed, properly structured, and verified as entities across the digital ecosystem. Employees clearly have a stake in being visible, but their employers also benefit when leadership can be discovered and validated online.”

Why Executive Visibility Matters for Companies

Seely warns that gaps in AI visibility extend beyond individual careers and can weaken the overall position of a company. When leadership teams do not appear in AI search, it can:
• undermine perceived leadership authority
• diminish sales and customer facing credibility
• weaken investor confidence and trust signals
• reduce discoverability among journalists and media outlets
• erode brand level authority in competitive markets

In an environment where AI mediated discovery is shaping professional perceptions, companies have a growing interest in ensuring their executives show up clearly and accurately in these systems.

To help address these risks, executives can request a complimentary AI Visibility Audit through WorthLift. The audit is designed to highlight where leaders are visible, where they are absent, and what steps can be taken to strengthen machine readable presence across AI powered platforms.

About Chet Seely

Chet Seely is an AI strategy and transformation leader focused on human centered AI governance, operational design, and precision driven enterprise systems. He advises executives and boards in highly regulated industries, SaaS, financial services, public sector operations, and complex multi layer enterprise environments on how to deploy AI responsibly, measurably, and at scale. Media and Executive Inquiries:
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Executives can request a free AI Visibility Audit at: https://worthlift.com/free-audit
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