Hartford Business Journal

HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JUNE 1, 2026 13 focus, the firm does counsel execu- tives on severance matters. Partner Josh Goodbaum confirmed that and said the firm regularly publishes content on executive contracts, severance agreements and related employment law issues. He said Garrison Law doesn't pay for Google keyword placement or specif- ically target AI tools, beyond ensuring its website is visible to search engines and their algorithms. Instead, Goodbaum said the same factors that have helped Garrison Law gain visibility in traditional search results, including client reviews, referrals and, as he put it, "consistent work to educate the public about their rights as employees," may also be helping the firm appear in AI recommendations. "The best marketing strategy is to do great legal work and to provide useful resources to the public," he said. When Garrison Law asks new clients how they found the firm, Goodbaum said, more are citing AI searches. "We've seen a distinct uptick in that category over the previous six months or so, and we expect that trend will continue," Goodbaum said. Adapting to AI For businesses trying to improve their chances of appearing in AI recommendations, marketers tend to offer similar advice. That includes sharpening website copy, cleaning up online listings, building customer reviews and earning outside coverage, then waiting for AI systems to absorb that information. But businesses have limited control over how quickly or accurately that happens. Unlike with traditional search, there is no straightforward way to prompt an AI platform to quickly reflect a correc- tion. A business that believes it has been mischaracterized must generally address the underlying information sources and wait, experts said. Asked how they advise clients in that situation, Adams & Knight said the approach is to identify inaccurate source material, correct it where possible and publish fresh, consistent information. Some businesses are tackling the issue directly. Mohegan Sun, the Uncasville casino and entertainment complex, has begun incorporating AI strategy into its marketing efforts. AI platforms "are starting to take market share from traditional search," said David Martinelli, chief marketing officer at Mohegan Sun. The resort expects the trend to continue and is adjusting its search and AI-related strategies accordingly, factoring in differences in how each major platform surfaces information. Mohegan also leans heavily on third-party coverage, Martinelli said, including news stories, reviews and travel-site rankings, and backs it with what he described as a steady volume of marketing communications. David Martinelli Hype meets reality However, while consumer use of AI is growing, that doesn't necessarily mean businesses should rush to overhaul their marketing strategies, experts cautioned. A March survey by digital marketing platform BrightLocal found that 45% of consumers had used an AI tool for a local business recommendation, up from just 6% a year earlier. But broader consumer sentiment remains mixed. A June-July 2025 survey by Stam- ford-based research firm Gartner found that only about one-third of U.S. consumers believe AI chatbots rival traditional search engines for learning something new. More than two-thirds said they scroll past Google's AI Overview. Kate Muhl, a Gartner vice president and analyst, said small businesses should be careful about making major investments aimed at influencing AI recommendations. "Proceed with caution," she said. For businesses trying to reach Gen Z and Millennial consumers, Muhl said YouTube and social media may still be better places to focus. Barrett said CashmanKatz hasn't built a GEO strategy yet because his clients' customers still mainly find businesses through Google, while the consumers most comfortable with AI search are not the audiences those clients are trying to reach. There also needs to be a broader and better understanding of AI as a whole, he said. "Until we reach a tipping point where the return on the optimization effort is in our favor," he said, "we're going to continue optimizing mainly for SEO." SAME PROMPT, DIFFERENT ANSWERS HBJ asked five AI platforms the same question: Recommend a Connecticut employment attorney for a senior executive negotiating severance. The responses varied widely, underscoring how inconsistent AI-generated recommendations can be. Here were the results: AI PLATFORM TOP RECOMMENDATION CHATGPT Ed Rayner Law CLAUDE Garrison Law GOOGLE AI Garrison Law COPILOT Madsen Prestley PERPLEXITY Carey & Associates Source: HBJ research Take advantage of: Express Business Loans up to $50,000* with 48-hour decisions The lending power to help your business grow Advanced online and mobile treasury management tools One of Connecticut's fastest-growing commercial lenders** Ascend Bank's team of business and commercial banking experts deliver the responsive answers, strong lending authority and the solutions to help your businesss grow. And we've been doing it for more than 150 years. Local Decisions. REAL Lending Power. *All loans and lines subject to full credit review and approval. Ascend Business checking account required for Express Business Loans. ** Commercial Record 2025 Built local. Backing businesses like yours. Visit ascend.bank/business to schedule a virtual or in-person meeting.

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