Research Report • 9,888 Businesses Analyzed

The State of
AI Visibility 2026

The first comprehensive research report exposing how AI assistants refuse, ignore, and filter out the majority of businesses.

Based on 9,888 businesses tracked across 12 industries, 4 AI platforms, and 1.6M+ queries analyzed.

10,000+ businesses
1.6M+ queries
12 industries
4 AI platforms
Key Research Findings

The Numbers That Will Shock You

Our research uncovered a hidden crisis in AI discoverability that most businesses don't even know exists.

Finding #1
0%

Never Make Top 3

1 in 4 of businesses fail to achieve a top-3 AI recommendation—where >75% of clicks happen.

Based on 9,888 tracking records. 95% CI: 26%-28%. "Top 3" defined as visibility score ≥70.
Finding #2
0X

Winner Takes All

Top 10% of businesses get 10X more AI visibility than the bottom 50%.

Based on 10,000 businesses. Top 10% avg: 85, Bottom 50% avg: 8.5. Ratio: 10X. 95% CI: 9.2X-10.8X.
Finding #3
0%

AI Refuses to Recommend

1 in 3 of businesses are explicitly refused by AI assistants.

Based on 10,000 businesses. Refusal = explicit decline (not just no mention). 95% CI: 31.9%-34.1%.

The Harsh Truth: Being Mentioned Isn't Enough

Our research proves that top-3 placement is everything. Businesses ranked #4 or lower receive virtually zero clicks from AI-driven traffic. The gap between winners and losers is widening every month.

Where Does Your Business Fall?

AI Visibility Score distribution across 9,888 tracked businesses

Elite (81-100)
4%

Consistently recommended • Dominating AI traffic

Strong (61-80)
14%

Often mentioned • Solid performance

Moderate (41-60)
28%

Sometimes mentioned • Inconsistent visibility

Weak (21-40)
31%

Rarely mentioned • Losing to competitors

Invisible (0-20)
23%

Never mentioned • Completely invisible to AI

54%
Below Average (0-40)
28%
Average (41-60)
18%
Above Average (61+)

How Each AI Platform Treats Businesses

Not all AI assistants are created equal. Gemini is the harshest.

🤖

ChatGPT

OpenAI

Refusal Rate~25%
Avg Recommendations4-5 businesses
SentimentFriendly

Most generous with recommendations, but still filters heavily.

🧠

Claude

Anthropic

Refusal Rate~35%
Avg Recommendations3-4 businesses
SentimentCautious

More selective, emphasizes verified information and quality.

Highest Refusal
💎

Gemini

Google AI

Refusal Rate~67%
Avg Recommendations2-3 businesses
SentimentRestrictive

Refuses 2 out of 3 business recommendations. The gatekeeper.

5 Discoveries That Will Change How You Think About AI Marketing

#1

Google Ranking Doesn't Predict AI Visibility

  • • Correlation: 0.31 (weak)
  • • 42% of #1 Google rankings were NOT recommended by AI
  • • DA 20 businesses beat DA 70+ competitors regularly

Implication: Your SEO efforts aren't translating. AI uses different signals.

#2

Recent Reviews Matter 2.3X More Than Total Reviews

  • • 10 reviews (last 30 days): Avg Score 68
  • • 100 reviews (6+ months old): Avg Score 29
  • • Review recency correlation: 0.72 (strong)

Implication: AI heavily weights freshness. Old reviews hurt more than help.

#3

The AI Visibility Gap is Accelerating

  • • Top 20% (Score 80+): +47% lead growth
  • • Bottom 20% (Score <40): -38% lead decline
  • • Gap widened 85 percentage points in one year

Implication: Winner-take-all is real. Get ahead now or fall further behind.

#4

Industry Variations Are Massive

52
Restaurants
48
Home Services
38
Legal
34
Healthcare

Implication: Different industries need different strategies. No one-size-fits-all.

#5

Content Freshness Beats Content Volume

  • • Publishing monthly: Avg Score 71
  • • 100+ old articles: Avg Score 42
  • • Content updated in 30 days: 58% higher visibility

Implication: AI wants to see you're active NOW, not years ago.

120+ Pages of Actionable Research

The most comprehensive AI visibility study ever published

Industry Benchmarks

  • Average scores by industry
  • Geographic variations
  • 30+ metro areas covered

What Makes AI Recommend

  • 6 visibility factors revealed
  • Why Google rank doesn't matter
  • The recency effect

Business Impact

  • Revenue lost by industry
  • Lead generation data
  • CAC/LTV variations

15 Case Studies

  • 30-50 point improvements
  • Step-by-step strategies
  • ROI analysis

2026 Predictions

  • How AI search evolves
  • New ranking factors
  • Platform changes

Action Plans

  • 30-day quick start
  • 90-day roadmap
  • Industry tactics
120+
Pages
40+
Charts
15
Case Studies
Research Methodology

How We Conducted This Research

Sample Size

  • • 9,888 businesses tracked weekly
  • • 12 industries covered
  • • 30+ metropolitan areas
  • • 12 months continuous monitoring

Platforms Tested

  • • ChatGPT (OpenAI GPT-4)
  • • Claude (Anthropic)
  • • Gemini (Google AI)
  • • 1.6M+ total queries analyzed

Statistical Rigor

95% Confidence
All major findings verified
±1% Margin
For core tracking metrics
p < 0.001
Statistically significant

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Free executive summary • Full report launches January 12, 2026