Philip Morris: AI Redefines the Importance of Corporate Websites

The Impact of AI on Corporate Communication According to Philip Morris

Moira Gilchrist, who leads global communications at Philip Morris International (PMI), shared her insights in an interview for a series dedicated to marketing leaders. She stated that large language models have increased the importance of owned content channels for companies. She also explained how PMI's internal metrics help illustrate the story of its ongoing transformation.

As a strong advocate for artificial intelligence, Gilchrist highlighted the company's use of audience personas to test and refine its messaging. According to her, these personas, developed through AI, provide valuable feedback that significantly enhances PMI's communication.

The Central Role of the Website in the Age of AI

Gilchrist emphasized that PMI's website has become an essential tool for restoring truth in the era of large language models, which rely on the information it contains. She expressed her belief that this will help rebalance the information ecosystem, ensuring that facts are reported accurately. "We have therefore reinforced the importance of our own channels as a strategic communication element," she added.

She noted that previously, PMI's website attracted very few visitors outside of journalists or investors. "The general public never visited it. Yet, it contains crucial information about our company's transformation, the progress made, and the products we have developed and marketed across hundreds of global markets."

Gilchrist clarified that the challenge is not to increase resources but to adopt a more thoughtful approach to our channels, ensuring that large language models can extract information optimally. "It's an art that everyone is learning today. The days of search engine optimization are over — now, it's about optimization for generative engines."

Internal Data as a Vector for Transformation

Gilchrist mentioned PMI's realization a few years ago of the need to better communicate the extent of its already accomplished transformation to the world. "We therefore began to use some of the metrics we had used internally in a much more external manner."

She explained that the company conducts a campaign each quarter around its earnings releases, highlighting key metrics, such as the percentage of their net revenues coming from smoke-free alternatives.

• When smoke-free alternatives were launched, first in Japan in 2015, 0% of our net revenues came from these alternatives.

• In contrast, in the first quarter of 2026, published data shows that 43% of our net revenues come from smoke-free alternatives.

"This helps people understand the extent of the progress we have already made. We still have a long way to go, but I am very proud of the progress we have made so far."