Guides · 2 October 2026
ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity: how they find businesses
Short answerThey differ. Google's AI features use Google's index and local data. Copilot is built on Bing. ChatGPT search is reported to use its own crawler and, at times, Bing. Perplexity searches the web and cites sources. A study of 30 million citations found each leans on different sites.
| Assistant | What it appears to rely on |
|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Gemini | Google's search index and local data. Google Business Profile matters for local. |
| Microsoft Copilot | Bing's index and Bing Places. |
| ChatGPT search | OAI-SearchBot and, reportedly, Bing's index at times. |
| Perplexity | Live web search with cited sources. Analyses suggest it leans towards Reddit and LinkedIn. |
Peec AI's analysis of 30 million citations also suggests ChatGPT favours Wikipedia, Reddit and editorial sites, while Google's AI leans towards Facebook and Yelp. These are third-party findings and will change.
What this means
Cover all of them with the same basics: listings in Google, Bing and Apple, a crawlable website, reviews, and consistent details. Then test each one.
Related guides
- Which business listings does AI use?
- Where does ChatGPT get local business information?
- How does AI decide which local businesses to recommend?
Sources
- Peec AI analysis of 30 million citations, reported by Search Engine Land (31 March 2026)
- Google Search Central: Optimizing for generative AI features
- HubSpot: guide to ChatGPT search visibility
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