references/theories/ai-mediated-discovery.md

# AI-Mediated Discovery

## Theory

Use this as an applied decision model, not as proof that the model is correct in every market.

## Use when

- When buyers use AI or conversational surfaces to discover or compare options.

## Mechanism

Model discovery as a retrieval-and-recommendation path across answer, search, social, product, and brand surfaces.

## Applied marketing use

Route the diagnosis to the specialist agents and skills connected in `neural/graph.json`; verify current platform facts using `references/2026/ai-mediated-discovery-2026.md`.

## Failure modes

- Treating a current platform feature as a permanent law of marketing.
- Selecting the theory because it sounds modern rather than because it explains the observed constraint.

## Related principle

- `answer-surface-retrievability`

## Sources

- `source:google-search-ai-owner-controls-2026`
- `source:google-gml-search-ads-2026`