How we check
AI changes its answer. So we ask many times and count.
One look at one answer does not prove much. The same question can name different shops the next time you ask. A count is something you can show a client.
The plan for the monthly count is written. We have not run that count. Four pages show one ChatGPT answer next to a Google Maps list. That is not the count. See the checked markets.
What we count
We ask a real customer question. We see if the business is named. We do that many times. The result looks like this: named in 4 out of 30 answers.
That 4 out of 30 line is an example of the layout. It is not a real count. We do not turn the count into a rank. We do not blend the AI tools into one score.
How many times
The plan uses six customer questions. We ask each one five times. That is 30 answers for each AI, for each business, each month.
Google’s AI on search results gets 18 answers. We ask it fewer times. Each AI stays in its own count.
Which AI tools
- ChatGPT. The chat tool most people mean when they say AI.
- Gemini. Google’s chat tool.
- Perplexity. An AI tool that shows sources.
- Claude. Another AI chat tool.
- Google AI Overviews. The AI box on Google results. We ask this one fewer times.
The written plan also names one more Google tool. We are not using it yet.
Where the first checks are planned
- Houston, TX
- Phoenix, AZ
- Atlanta, GA
- Tampa, FL
- Denver, CO
- Columbus, OH
- Kansas City, MO
- Sacramento, CA
- Boise, ID
- Albany, NY
We plan to collect answers Oct 21 to Oct 25, 2026. The report page says what we will share.
Rules for posting a number
- No number without a count of asks, the dates, and which AI.
- No rank, and no single score mixed across AI tools.
- A posted count will link to the raw answers. Until then, there is nothing to click.
- We do not give medical, legal, or safety advice. We do not tell you who to hire.
Why one answer is not enough
A 2026 study asked the same local question many times. Only 20 to 33 percent of the answers matched the next run. That study is theirs, not ours. BrightLocal, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Questions
Why ask more than once?
AI can change its answer. One try can show your name. The next try can leave it out. A count needs many tries.
When will real numbers show up?
After we collect a real set and check it. The first public count is set for Oct 21 to Oct 25, 2026. Each number will show how many asks, the dates, and which AI.
Which AI tools are in the plan?
ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI on search results. The written plan also names one more Google tool. We are not using that one yet.