By Eric Khaw
When ChatGPT and AI search tools like Perplexity began changing how people find information, most businesses didn’t notice. They were still obsessing over Google rankings and social media algorithms.
Dave Leong noticed.
Today, better known as AI Dave, he is the Founder & CEO of 10X Marketing Sdn Bhd, where he helps companies solve a problem most don’t yet realise they have: becoming visible to AI.
His focus heading into 2026 is Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — ensuring that when someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s AI Overview for a recommendation, businesses show up in the answer.
Whether this bet pays off remains to be seen. But his journey offers lessons for any SME founder navigating the AI shift.
From Corporate Strategist to AI Educator
With more than two decades of experience at Ogilvy, HSBC, and RinggitPlus, Dave built his career advising multinational brands on digital strategy. In a previous corporate role, he worked with a call centre team to slash lead response time from 7 days to 5 minutes through custom automation — contributing to significant sales growth from digital channels.
“That experience taught me something important: you don’t need a massive team to get massive results. You need the right system.”
Yet across his corporate career, he observed a persistent gap: SMEs lacked the strategic support and structured guidance needed to modernise effectively.
“I met founders with strong ideas and strong work ethics, but many were stuck. They knew digital transformation was essential — they just didn’t know where to begin.”
It’s a frustration many corporate professionals feel — seeing problems clearly but lacking the mandate to fix them. For Dave, the answer was to leave and build something himself.
The decision wasn’t easy. After two decades of steady paychecks, he walked away to bet on himself.
“I remember sitting in my home office, wondering if I’d made a mistake. But I kept seeing business owners struggle with the same problems — and I knew I could help.”
The 123-Day Sprint That Changed Everything
Like many new founders, Dave managed every aspect of the business in his first year. The turning point came when he committed to a 123-day content sprint — posting daily across multiple platforms with zero advertising spend.
AI-assisted content planning, scripting, and short-form video creation quickly amplified his presence. Prospects began recognising him as “the AI guy who keeps showing up.”
Within five months, the firm achieved a threefold increase in monthly revenue.
“I went from chasing meetings to prospects asking for my help. That shift told me the positioning was right.” The takeaway for other founders is straightforward: consistency compounds. Showing up daily, even imperfectly, often beats sporadic bursts of polished content.
The Pivot to Answer Engine Optimisation
As AI search tools gained traction in 2024 and 2025, Dave spotted what he believes is a gap in the market.
“Everyone’s still fighting for Google page one. But the game is changing. When someone asks ChatGPT for a recommendation, there’s no page one — there’s just the answer. If you’re not in that answer, you don’t exist.”
This insight led him to pivot 10X Marketing toward Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — a discipline focused on making businesses visible to AI-powered search tools.
“Traditional SEO optimises for keywords. AEO optimises for answers. It’s about structuring your content, credibility, and online presence so that AI trusts you enough to recommend you.”
The pivot wasn’t instant validation. “When I started talking about AEO, people looked at me blankly. They’d never heard of it. I’m educating the market while building the service — that’s the hard part.”
It’s a familiar challenge for founders betting on emerging trends: the opportunity is real, but the market isn’t ready yet. Success depends on timing — move too early, and you exhaust resources educating; move too late, and competitors have already claimed the space.
Dave is betting on early.
“There are thousands of AI trainers now. Most teach prompting and tools. I’m focused on one thing: making sure AI recommends you. That’s the gap no one’s filling yet.”
What 10X Marketing Delivers Today
Dave’s work centres on one question: “When AI is asked about your industry, do you show up?”
He helps clients through AEO audits, AI visibility systems, and hands-on training — with the goal of turning invisible businesses into the ones AI recommends.
He’s an HRDC-accredited trainer, having trained over 150 professionals across Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, the UK, and the US. He previously served as Lead Trainer for a Canadian AI Certification Programme.
“Most businesses are still optimising for Google. I help them optimise for the answer.”
The SME Challenge: Fear, Pressure & the Pace of AI
In his work with Malaysian companies, Dave sees one constant: SMEs are eager to modernise but unsure how to begin.
“Many still think their industry is ‘too unique’ for AI. But behind that is fear — fear that younger competitors can now replicate decades of experience with the right tools.”
This observation resonates across industries. The barrier to AI adoption is often not cost or access — it’s mindset. Founders who grew businesses on intuition and relationships now face a landscape where systems and automation level the playing field.
Economic conditions and post-pandemic behaviour have accelerated digital adoption. Businesses see competitors posting AI-generated content, automating their marketing, and showing up in AI search results — and they realise they can’t stay still.
“AI is no longer a luxury. It’s survival.”
Client Results: What’s Worked So Far
One standout case: a Malaysian solar provider came to Dave with a modest RM15,000 campaign budget. After implementing his AI-assisted sales system, they grew to RM775,000 in qualified quotations within 90 days — all from a single campaign.
“They went from chasing leads to choosing which customers to take,” Dave recalled.
Results like this explain why demand for practical AI implementation continues to grow. SME owners don’t want theory — they want systems that move the needle.
Will AI Replace Traditional Marketing Teams? Dave’s view is clear: “It will enhance, not replace — but only for those willing to adapt.”
Teams that learn to work with AI increase their value. Those who refuse to engage with new tools risk becoming obsolete.
“The marketers who thrive will be the ones who treat AI as a teammate, not a threat.”
It’s a perspective shared by many in the industry — AI is a multiplier, not a replacement. But the multiplier only works if people learn to use it.
Beyond Business: The Mountain Ahead
Beyond business, Dave has signed up for what he admits is a crazy personal challenge — an ASEAN Record attempt on Mount Kinabalu in June 2026, including hosting what may be the first virtual conference on public speaking from the summit.
He’s not a seasoned mountaineer. That’s the point.
“I signed up precisely because it scares me. Life and business are similar — you set a goal that stretches you, you work hard for it, and you learn to enjoy the journey. Not just measure the results.”
Whether he summits or not, the attempt reflects how he approaches most things: commit first, figure it out along the way.
2026 and Beyond
With demand for AI training growing and AEO still an emerging space, Dave sees a runway ahead — though he’s clear-eyed about the uncertainty.
“Most people will wake up to AEO in two or three years. By then, I want to be the guy who’s been doing it the longest.”
It’s a first-mover bet. If search behaviour continues shifting toward AI, the positioning could pay off significantly. If adoption slows, he’ll need to adapt again.
Either way, adaptability has been the through-line of his career.
Advice to SME Founders
His biggest message is simple:
“Spend time learning AI yourself. Don’t rely entirely on your team. When you understand what’s possible, you can reimagine your business far more effectively.”
AI, he says, is not something leaders can outsource blindly. It needs leadership understanding, not just technical execution.
His mantra captures the philosophy:
“Stop dabbling. Start building.”
For SME founders watching the AI shift unfold, the lesson from Dave’s journey isn’t about copying his path. It’s about recognising that the landscape is changing — and the founders who move early, even imperfectly, tend to be the ones still standing when the dust settles.
Dave Leong is the Founder & CEO of 10X Marketing Sdn Bhd and an HRDC-accredited AI trainer. He previously served as Lead Trainer for a Canadian AI Certification Programme. Dave is one of the participants of the MALAYSIA SME Sportrepreneur 2026 Congress, joining a 30-member team in the ASEAN Records Attempt Expedition to host the highest-altitude Congress. More than just a climb, this journey represents resilience, entrepreneurship, and the spirit of pushing boundaries—both in business and beyond.
MALAYSIA SME’s 12th installment of its Congress will take place at Panalaban of Mount Kinabalu, 3,272 meters above sea level, in June 2026. Stay updated on the training for the ascent and interviews from the expedition members on the MALAYSIA SME Congress YouTube channel .
Connect with him at [email protected] or follow his daily insights on LinkedIn.
