The collection of AI platforms (Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, and more) that function as salespeople for brands 24/7 - either trained to represent the brand accurately, or untrained and fumbling.

Jason Barnard reframes AI assistive engines as 'employees you've never met, never trained, and never managed.' This metaphor makes abstract AI presence tangible for business leaders: you have salespeople working for you right now. Are they trained or untrained?

The AI Sales Force performs three jobs: The Closer (handles brand searches at decision point), The Reputation Manager (vouches for you in comparisons), and The Active Advocate (brings your name into discovery conversations). Each maps to UCD: U, C, and D respectively.

This framing transforms AI optimization from technical SEO-speak into business language executives understand. 'Untrained employees losing you money' is more compelling than 'entity optimization for knowledge graphs.'