The Rise of Dark AI and the Cost of Getting It Wrong

Tom Rudnai's research at Demand Genius reveals a structural flaw in how SaaS companies approach AI Engine Optimization: they're measuring citations, but AI generates zero retrieval at the awareness and consideration stages—the phases where buying criteria are actually set.

By the time a citation appears, the buyer's frame is already locked. This means the entire content playbook built around keywords, citation tracking, and share of voice is aimed at a sliver of the funnel, while the real influence goes unmeasured.

Rudnai introduces two frameworks that reframe the problem for SaaS leaders: "information gain" (a tiered model for producing content AI considers worth incorporating, versus content it simply ignores) and "content debt" (the cumulative maintenance burden that grows with every piece published).

For any SaaS company trying to compete in a world where buyers use AI before they talk to sales, the implication is direct: influence the problem frame, or someone else will.