How do you prepare for AI-first search?

The preparation work for AI-first search has four components and they should be sequenced. First, the entity layer: a clean Wikidata entry, proper schema markup on owned properties, sameAs links across canonical identifiers, a current Knowledge Panel where Google has generated one. This is the infrastructure the engines query. Second, authoritative coverage: third-party press in outlets the engines actually weight, with the framing the brand wants to amplify. Third, owned content: FAQ-style pages and pillar content written for the extract, with proper schema, named authorship, and authoritative citations. Fourth, monitoring: continuous tracking across the engines so drift is caught early and source-level interventions can be targeted. AIQ™ handles the fourth piece; the first three are advisory work.