Your AI assistant just became a salesperson (and you had no idea)

Hey there!

Last week I told you OpenAI was staffing up to turn ChatGPT into an ad platform.

Most of you probably thought "Yeah, so what? Another place to run ads."

But you missed the bigger picture.

This week, that picture got a lot clearer.

PayPal just signed a deal to become the FIRST payments wallet embedded directly into ChatGPT.

Starting next year, ChatGPT's 700 million weekly users can buy products without ever leaving the conversation.

No browsing websites.
No comparison shopping.
No "let me think about it."

Just "Hey ChatGPT, I need running shoes for flat feet under $150" → AI finds options → "Want me to order the Nike ones?" → Payment processed.

Done in 30 seconds.

But here's what should terrify you as an agency owner...

This isn't just "easier shopping."

This is the death of websites as we know them.

Think about it.

Why would anyone visit Nike when they can just ask their AI to find the perfect shoes?

Why browse through 47 product pages when AI can ask the right questions and deliver the exact match?

Your clients' beautiful websites? The ones you spent months perfecting?

They're about to become as relevant as Yellow Pages.

Because the future of commerce isn't "build a better website."

It's "make sure AI knows your products exist when someone describes their problem."

That's not SEO.
That's not social media marketing.
That's not even traditional advertising.

That's something completely different.

I call it Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

And 99% of agencies have no clue it exists.

While you're still optimizing for Google rankings...

Your competitors are optimizing for AI recommendations.

While you're split-testing landing page headlines...

They're making sure ChatGPT mentions their clients first when someone asks for solutions.

The shift is happening RIGHT NOW.

PayPal didn't just sign a payments deal.

They positioned themselves as the infrastructure for the AI commerce revolution.

And agencies that don't adapt are going to watch their clients get buried by competitors who understand the new game.

So what do you do?

Start learning AEO. Yesterday.

Figure out how to position your clients' products and services so AI assistants recommend them.

Because in 12 months, "We ranked #1 on Google" won't matter.

"ChatGPT recommended us first" will be the only metric that counts.

And here's the really wild part...

This will probably put Google and Amazon out of business.

I know, I know. That sounds insane.

Google has a trillion-dollar market cap. Amazon owns half the internet.

But you know what else seemed "too big to fail"?

AOL. They were THE internet for millions of people.

RadioShack. They had 7,000 stores and were America's electronics headquarters.

Bed Bath & Beyond. They dominated home goods for decades.

BlockBuster. Netflix was just "that mail-order thing."

Every giant feels permanent... until they're not.

And the thing about paradigm shifts is they happen FAST.

People don't gradually stop using Google.

They just wake up one day and realize they haven't searched for anything in weeks.

Because why would you type "best running shoes for flat feet" into Google...

When you can just tell ChatGPT "I need running shoes that won't hurt my feet" and have them delivered by dinner?

Google's entire business model is built on showing you links to OTHER websites.

But AI commerce doesn't need links.

It just needs products.

Amazon's built on the idea that you'll browse their catalog.

But why browse when AI can just ASK you what you need and find the perfect match?

The giants always look unstoppable.

Until the day they're not.

The future of marketing isn't about interrupting people with ads.

It's about being the answer when AI solves their problems.

Your move.

-Laura

P.S. I've been quietly implementing AEO strategies for months. The results are... interesting. More on that in another newsletter.

P.S.S. Seems like there’s more news than we can cover once a week so I’m considering sending out a bit more frequently. Hope you continue to read.