TL;DR: AI. Stanford NLP research explains sentiment analysis sentiment comes from patterns in training data and real-time sources. You can shift it by improving reviews, earning positive coverage, addressing criticism, and ensuring consistent messaging. It takes time, but it works.
Start With a Sentiment Audit
Before improving anything, understand where you stand.
Ask ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity: - "What do people think of [your brand]?" - "What are the pros and cons of [your brand]?" - "Is [your brand] good for [your main use case]?" - "How does [your brand] compare to [top competitor]?"
Document the responses. Look for: - Recurring positive phrases - Recurring negative phrases - How you're positioned vs competitors - Any specific criticisms that appear multiple times
This baseline tells you what to fix.
For context on what sentiment means, see What is AI Sentiment.
Identify the Source of Negative Sentiment
Negative sentiment doesn't appear randomly. It comes from somewhere.
Common sources:
Reviews: Low ratings or specific complaints on G2, Capterra, Trustpilot that get repeated News coverage: Articles about issues, controversies, or failures Comparison content: "Best X" articles that position you unfavorably Forums and discussions: Reddit threads, community posts with complaints Your own messaging: Unclear positioning that invites misinterpretation
Search for your brand. Edelman Trust Barometer shows trust is crucial for brand success across these sources. What's the tone? What complaints repeat? That's what AI is learning.
Fix the Review Layer
Reviews are heavily weighted in AI training data and search results.
Get more positive reviews
- Ask satisfied customers directly
- Add review requests to your post-purchase flow
- Make it easy with direct links to G2, Capterra, Trustpilot
Respond to negative reviews
- Address specific complaints publicly
- Show you're listening and improving
- This changes the narrative from "ignored problem" to "addressed concern"
Diversify review platforms
Don't rely on one platform. Presence across multiple review sites creates a broader positive signal.
Create Sentiment-Shaping Content
Content you create influences how AI describes. McKinsey research shows AI can boost marketing productivity by 5-15% you.
Publish customer success stories
Real results from real customers. Named companies, specific outcomes, measurable improvements. This gives AI positive language to pull from.
Address common objections directly
If AI says you're "expensive," publish content on value and ROI. If AI says you're "complex," publish content on ease of use. Don't ignore the criticism. Counter it with evidence.
Control your comparison narrative
Create your own "vs" content. "[Your Brand] vs [Competitor]" pages let you frame the comparison rather than leaving it to others.
Emphasize differentiators
Repeatedly associate your brand with positive attributes in your content. If you want AI to call you "easy to use," make that phrase appear consistently across your site, case studies, and PR.
Earn Positive Coverage
Third-party coverage carries more weight than your own claims.
Target industry publications
Pitch stories that highlight your strengths. Product launches, customer wins, unique approaches. Get journalists to write positively about you.
Get into "best of" lists
"Best CRM for startups," "Top tools for marketers." These lists are frequently cited by AI. Being included with positive commentary shapes sentiment.
Pursue analyst recognition
Gartner, Forrester, G2 Grid reports. Recognition from analysts signals credibility that AI picks up.
Guest post strategically
Write for publications your audience reads. Control the framing by being the author.
Address Criticism Head-On
Ignoring problems doesn't make them disappear from AI.
Acknowledge known issues
If there was a real problem, acknowledge it publicly. "We had issues with X. Here's what we did to fix it." This creates a redemption narrative.
Show improvement over time
AI weighs recency. If old criticism exists but recent coverage is positive, the pattern shifts. Make sure recent content reflects improvements.
Don't bury bad news
If you try to suppress negative content, you leave a vacuum. AI will find the old stuff. Better to create new positive content that naturally ranks higher.
Maintain Consistency
Inconsistent messaging confuses AI and leads to neutral or mixed sentiment.
Same positioning everywhere
Your website, review profiles, social media, PR, sales materials. Same value props, same language, same framing.
Consistent voice and tone
If your brand is friendly and approachable, maintain that across all touchpoints. If you're professional and enterprise, stay that way. Mixed signals create mixed sentiment.
Regular updates
Stale content looks like a stale company. Keep key pages fresh. Publish regularly. Show activity.
Monitor Changes Over Time
friction AI tracks sentiment automatically across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity, showing how your brand framing changes over time.
Sentiment shifts slowly. Track it monthly.
- Run the same prompts across models
- Document responses
- Compare to previous months
- Note what's improving and what's stuck
Patterns emerge over 3-6 months. Don't expect overnight changes.
What Not to Do
Some tactics backfire.
Don't fake reviews: Platforms detect this and penalize you. AI may also learn to discount suspicious patterns.
Don't attack competitors: Negative content about others doesn't improve your sentiment. It can make you look petty.
Don't ignore the problem: Hoping AI sentiment will fix itself doesn't work. The signals that created it will keep reinforcing it.
Don't over-optimize: Content that reads like SEO spam doesn't carry weight. AI favors natural, authoritative content.
Prioritization Guide
If you're starting from scratch:
- Quick wins: Respond to recent negative reviews. Update your website messaging for clarity.
- Medium-term: Launch a case study campaign. Get into 2-3 comparison articles.
- Long-term: Build a consistent PR presence. Pursue analyst recognition.
Focus on high-authority sources first. They carry the most weight.
For improving buying recommendations specifically, see How to Improve Your Purchase Intent in AI.
The Bottom Line
AI sentiment reflects the pattern of signals across the web.
You change the sentiment by changing the pattern. More positive reviews, better coverage, clearer messaging, addressed criticism.
It's not fast, but it's systematic. And the brands that do this work will be framed more favorably than those that don't.
For the full framework, see What is AI Sentiment.
Why Teams Choose friction AI
friction AI tracks sentiment across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. We show you how your brand is framed, what's driving it, and how it changes over time.
See how to improve your AI sentiment.