Somantra Launches AI Search Challenge, Inviting Australian University Students to Help Brands Win in ChatGPT, Google AI

Students will analyse more than 34,000 AI search conversations to develop strategies for improving how insurance brands are recommended by ChatGPT, Google AI.

Somantra, an AI Search visibility and brand intelligence platform, today announced the launch of the AI Search Brand Battleground, a national competition challenging Australian university students to tackle one of marketing’s fastest-emerging problems: how brands earn visibility and recommendations inside generative AI platforms.

As millions of consumers increasingly turn to ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and other AI assistants for purchasing advice, brands are discovering that traditional search rankings alone no longer determine whether they are recommended. AI systems now synthesise information from multiple sources, creating an entirely new competitive landscape for marketers.

The next generation of marketers will need to understand AI Search as naturally as previous generations understood SEO.”

— Arun Prasad, Founder, Somantra

To help students understand this shift, Somantra is opening access to one of Australia’s largest AI Search research datasets. The competition is built on the company’s May 2026 Australian General Insurance AI Search Visibility Report, which analysed more than 34,000 real consumer conversations across ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews, tracking how 20 of Australia’s largest insurance brands are surfaced, cited and recommended.

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Participants will use the research together with Somantra’s interactive AI Search explorer to investigate how a selected insurer performs across products, platforms and customer intent. They will then prepare a strategic recommendation for improving the brand’s AI visibility, presenting their findings as though advising the company’s Chief Marketing Officer.

“Marketing is entering a new era where AI assistants increasingly influence what consumers discover, compare and ultimately choose,” said Arun Prasad, Founder of Somantra. “We wanted students to work with the same kind of data that marketing leaders are now using to make strategic decisions going beyond the classroom simulation. The next generation of marketers will need to understand AI Search as naturally as previous generations understood SEO.” The competition is open exclusively to students currently enrolled at Australian universities and is free to enter.

Students may select any of the 20 insurers featured in the research, including AAMI, Allianz, Budget Direct, NRMA, QBE, RACV and Suncorp, before developing recommendations designed to improve the brand’s visibility across AI-powered search experiences.

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The winning submission will receive a $500 AUD Myer Gift Card. In addition, finalists will have the opportunity to present their strategies directly to senior marketing leaders during an exclusive boardroom networking session, providing valuable industry exposure and professional feedback.
Beyond recognising emerging marketing talent, the initiative is intended to encourage greater understanding of how artificial intelligence is reshaping brand discovery, customer research and digital marketing strategy.