If AI can’t find your startup, does your startup exist?

A recent trend on social media has caught the attention of both founders and AI enthusiasts alike. More and more individuals are asking AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, "What do you know about me?" At first, this seemed like a passing fad, but curiosity led the author to try it out themselves. Searching for friends, founders, and businesses, they discovered that some results were accurate, while others were amusing.

For example, a friend who consistently described herself as an expert in Tarot card readings was accurately identified by AI, as was another friend who called himself the "Chief Happiness Officer" on LinkedIn. The author realized that AI isn't just generating information out of thin air, but rather learning from the digital footprints we leave behind.

Every article, podcast, interview, and profile we create contributes to the story AI uses to understand who we are. As entrepreneurs, we've long been focused on SEO and ranking on Google, but now there's a new layer to consider. It's no longer just about whether people can find our website, but whether AI has enough information to confidently introduce us when we're asked about it.

While this trend may seem fascinating, the author also acknowledges the empowering aspect of being able to shape one's digital narrative. By intentionally crafting articles, conference panels, client case studies, and public opinions, individuals can become associated with specific topics, industries, and expertise, which in turn helps AI make those same associations.

However, the author also warns about the potential dangers of relying too heavily on AI-generated summaries, as they can sometimes sound very convincing even if the underlying sources are incomplete, outdated, or based on repeated claims rather than careful verification. This brings up the question of how we should approach AI-generated profiles or reports in the future.

The author concludes by reminding both founders and readers to tell honest stories about ourselves and to approach everyone else's stories with curiosity, context, and a healthy dose of skepticism.