State of AI Visibility 2026
Executive Summary
January 2026 | Research Report
The Citation Economy Has Arrived
When consumers ask AI assistants for recommendations, a new form of discovery determines who gets found. 58% of regulated businesses are invisible.
Key Findings
| Metric |
Value |
| Businesses Analyzed |
5,900+ |
| Metro Areas Covered |
71 US markets |
| Platforms Monitored |
ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity |
| Invisible to AI |
58% of regulated businesses |
| Multi-Platform Visibility |
Only 12% appear on 3+ platforms |
Industry AI Visibility Scores
| Industry |
Avg Score |
Risk Level |
| Financial Services |
34/100 |
🟡 Moderate |
| Legal Services |
36/100 |
🟡 Moderate |
| Healthcare |
31/100 |
🟠 Elevated |
| Insurance |
28/100 |
🔴 Severe |
Platform Behavior
- ChatGPT – Most recommendations
- Claude – Conservative, verified sources
- Gemini – Google Profile weighted
- Perplexity – Citation-required
Why This Matters
- Discovery shifting to AI conversations
- AI recommends without firm consent
- No monitoring currently exists
- Compliance implications across industries
📈 Business Impact
- Businesses visible on 3+ platforms have 4.2x higher lead conversion
- Top 10% performers score 94+
- Bottom 28% score below 60 (systematic invisibility)