(Yicai) Sept. 9 -- BlueFocus Intelligent Communications Group, a leading Chinese public relations service provider, said it has invested tens of millions of Chinese yuan, equivalent to millions of US dollars, with Tsinghua Alumni Seed Fund in domestic generative engine optimization agency Pureblue Intelligence Technology.

BlueFocus will accelerate its entry into the GEO market worth billions of yuan, equivalent to hundreds of millions of US dollars, by allying with Pureblue AI, aiming to occupy a new high ground in brand marketing in the artificial intelligence era, the Beijing-based firm announced on Sept. 8.

With the breakthrough development of generative AI tech, users' search habits are gradually shifting to AI from traditional search, transforming the market's competitive landscape. Unlike traditional search engine optimization, which focuses on improving brand visibility with keywords, GEO helps brands achieve higher exposure on AI platforms.

Half of search engine traffic will be dominated by AI search by 2028, according to market research firm Gartner Research. PureblueAI's GEO tech is the key to enabling brands to be "discovered, understood, and recommended" in this new era.

According to data from Pureblue AI, its clients have seen their brand recommendation and top-ranking rates on AI platforms surge to almost 100 percent from a low level, leading to a jump in inquiry orders.

The value of BlueFocus' investment in Pureblue AI extends beyond short-term financial returns, industry analysts noted. The focus is on capturing the evolving direction of AI marketing and positioning the firm at the critical node of the generative AI transition from a content production tool to an information distribution infrastructure, they added.

The latest investment was BlueFocus' first in the AI area since it announced its "All in AI" strategy in 2022.

Shares of BlueFocus [SHE: 300058] ended 1.3 percent lower at CNY6.63 (93 US cents) each today. Shenzhen's Nasdaq-style ChiNext Board fell 2.2 percent. 

Editor: Martin Kadiev