New Data from Bospar Reveals C-Suite Decision-Makers Lead AI Adoption vs. 49% for Other Workers
[San Francisco, September 10, 2025] — A new study from Bospar reveals that C-level executives are embracing AI at 94% adoption, compared to just 49% for employees with limited decision-making authority. creating significant opportunities for companies that understand Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
The study of 1,000 American professionals highlights that C-level executives lead AI adoption at 95.1%, while individual contributors lag at 79.6%. More critically, 84% of final decision-makers have already purchased products based on AI recommendations.
As AI platforms increasingly influence executive decision-making, companies need a new discipline alongside traditional SEO: GEO—ensuring their brands appear when AI platforms recommend solutions to business problems.
“This fundamentally shifts how companies need to approach business development,” said Curtis Sparrer, principal of Bospar and a pioneer in GEO. “The executives with the biggest budgets are asking ChatGPT and Claude which vendors to consider. But here’s what most companies miss: AI platforms don’t invent recommendations—they cite authoritative sources. When AI suggests your competitor, it’s because that competitor earned media coverage in Harvard Business Review, got featured in trade publications or published research that established credibility. Strategic PR isn’t just about brand awareness anymore. It’s about becoming the source AI platforms cite when executives ask for recommendations.”
Sparrer added, “The vendors that show up are the ones with thought leadership in industry publications, expert commentary in major outlets and research that’s been validated by authoritative sources. That’s exactly what strategic PR programs deliver.”
About This Research: A national online survey of 1,000 U.S. office workers was conducted by Propeller Insights from June 30 to August 7, 2025. Respondents opted into an online database; from there, they were targeted based on demographics. To further confirm qualifications, respondents were asked to verify their information in the survey itself, self-identifying qualifications, with the maximum margin of sampling error was +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence.
