AI Assistants Are Struggling with Local Search Visibility, Study Finds

SOCi’s 2026 study reveals AI assistants suggest just 1%-11% of local businesses, with wide disparities in profile accuracy. Businesses must adapt SEO strategies to ensure AI search visibility.

ContentBoost

February 1, 2026 2 min read

AI Assistants Are Struggling with Local Search Visibility, Study Finds

A new report from SOCi highlights a major gap in how AI assistants handle local search visibility. Despite high Google rankings, only 1% to 11% of locations appear in suggestions from leading AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

The 2026 local visibility index, released by SOCi, reveals a stark disparity between traditional search engine performance and AI-based assistant recommendations. While businesses optimize their Google rankings to improve visibility, many strong-performing brands are missing from AI-generated search results entirely.

How Accurate Are Business Profiles in AI Search Results?

The report analyzed how AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity, handle business profile data. It found that Gemini, which is heavily integrated with Google Maps data, showcased 100% profile accuracy. However, accuracy dropped to 68% for ChatGPT and Perplexity, highlighting inconsistencies in how these technologies handle crucial information about businesses.

This divide raises concerns for businesses relying on AI-driven tools to connect with local customers. While Gemini benefits from Google’s extensive mapping infrastructure, other AI platforms appear to rely on less precise databases.

Key Findings from the SOCi Report

AI assistants suggest local business locations only 1%-11% of the time.
Businesses performing well traditionally on Google are often invisible on AI platforms.
Gemini displayed 100% business profile data accuracy, compared to 68% for ChatGPT and Perplexity.

These findings emphasize the growing disconnect between traditional SEO efforts and evolving AI-driven search technologies.

Implications for Small Businesses and SEO Specialists

For SEO specialists, local businesses, and content marketers, the report underscores the need for adapting strategies to improve AI-driven search visibility. Traditional SEO alone may no longer suffice as AI assistants become a primary user tool for local recommendations.

Tools like AI Search Optimization can help businesses align their strategies with emerging AI technologies to improve visibility and accuracy.

Source: Search Engine Land