In this episode, James Dooley speaks with Jason Barnard about how AI recommends businesses in 2026 and why answer engine optimisation has evolved into AI assistive engine and agent optimisation. They explain the shift from page ranking to passage level retrieval, cascading queries, credibility signals and the importance of first party and third party corroboration. Jason outlines how brands must train AI systems like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to act as digital employees. The discussion shows why niche authority and strategic positioning determine whether AI finds you or actively recommends you.