In a digital world where AI is reshaping consumer behavior from accessing information through Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the journey is no longer just about “search,” but about “asking to get the best answer.” Conversations with AI are increasingly becoming the starting point of decision-making in the Answer Economy. At the forum “The New Mandate for Brands in the AI Era”, Khun Oliver Kittipong Veerataecha, Chief Brand Officer of True Corporation Plc., shared his perspective on “The Authority Bandwagon: Why Brands Must Become the Source of Truth.” He emphasized that for Thai businesses to overcome challenges and win consumer trust, they must evolve from being mere “communicators” to becoming a true “Source of Truth”, delivering complete, accurate, and trustworthy information that AI can reference, ultimately leading to the answers consumers choose.
“In a world where AI helps make decisions for customers, brands that are not a trusted source will not be chosen from the very first moment.”
When Trust Becomes the Engine of Growth
Khun Oliver explained, “We are entering the era of Algorithmic Brand Building, where branding is no longer driven by guidelines alone, but powered by data to understand customers with greater depth and precision. Today, True serves over 50 million customers, leveraging data to analyze behaviors down to the level of micro-segmentation. This reflects a shift in modern marketing from simply reaching audiences to truly understanding them by connecting data with real human context.”
At the same time, “the new search is conversation”. People are no longer just searching. They are “conversing” with AI to find the best answers. This shift requires brands to transform from mere “messengers” into a true Source of Truth that AI chooses to reference. The idea that “we are what they say, not what we say” is becoming reality, as reviews, comments, and digital conversations increasingly shape decisions. For Thai SMEs, differentiation lies in building credible truth because once trust is established, choice happens almost automatically. This is the key engine driving business growth in the AI era.
Decoding the Source of Truth: Ask Right, Listen Deep, Speak with Meaning
One of the pitfalls of the AI era is “Promptitude”. The tendency to rely on ready-made answers while neglecting the importance of asking the right questions. Khun Oliver emphasized, “Framing the problem and asking the right question is already half the solution.” Amid a landscape where everyone tries to “speak louder” to gain visibility, organizations that build themselves into a Source of Truth choose instead to “listen deeper”. This kind of listening goes beyond awareness. It means truly understanding people’s emotions, aspirations, and contexts. He also highlighted the difference between being seen and being trusted. In an AI-mediated world, visibility alone does not guarantee selection without strong credibility, brands will not be chosen.
Four Pillars of Reliable Intelligence: Beyond Intelligence, It’s About Trust.
In an era where AI filters information, the key is no longer visibility, but “Reliable Intelligence”, the credibility of information. Khun Oliver outlined four core pillars to becoming a true Source of Truth:
- Accuracy — Information must be correct and consistently communicated to build lasting recall.
- Authority — A clear stance, upheld over time, to earn long-term credibility.
- Structure — Strong data architecture with the ability to manage and own information effectively.
- Consistency — Communicating with one voice across all channels (One Voice – One Truth).
From Targeting to Understanding: The Core of Business in the AI Era
In a world powered by AI, brands must not remove the human-in-the-loop from the equation. While algorithms help brands get discovered, it is humanity that gets them chosen. Marketing must evolve from viewing people as “targets” to truly “understanding” them, their needs, emotions, and life contexts. Winning brands are not those that optimize best, but those that combine data with human insight to deliver Reliable Intelligence, becoming the trusted answers people choose and rely on over time. “Therefore, use AI as a tool, don’t become its tool,” Khun Oliver concluded.