Original Research

State of AI SearchReports

By Andrew Swiler & Faizan BabarPublished May–June 2026Updated July 2026

We ran real queries through ChatGPT (GPT-4o) and Perplexity (Sonar Pro) across 5 B2B verticals to find out which companies get recommended — and which ones don't exist in AI search. These are the results.

376

Companies Analyzed

94

Queries Tested

5

Verticals Covered

2

AI Engines

ChatGPT GPT-4o + Perplexity Sonar Pro

All Reports

Each includes full data, methodology, PDF download, CSV dataset, and audio summary

5 reports published

Original Study\ \ Q2 2026 — The Original Study\ \ State of AI Search: B2B SaaS \ \ The report that started it all. We analyzed 100 B2B SaaS companies across HR Tech, Fintech, and general SaaS to see which ones ChatGPT and Perplexity actually recommend. 47 got cited. 53 were invisible.\ \ 100companies\ \ 42queries\ \ 2engines\ \ 3verticals\ \ 53% of companies received zero AI citations\ \ PDFCSVAudioRead Report Vertical Report\ \ Q2 2026 — Vertical Deep Dive\ \ State of AI Search: Cybersecurity \ \ Cybersecurity had the broadest coverage of any vertical studied. Palo Alto Networks leads with 39 citations, but the real story is the long tail of vendors fighting for positioning below the top 5.\ \ 72companies\ \ 14queries\ \ 2engines\ \ 1verticals\ \ Palo Alto Networks leads with 39 total citations\ \ PDFCSVAudioRead Report Vertical Report\ \ Q2 2026 — Vertical Deep Dive\ \ State of AI Search: MSP Software \ \ Managed Service Provider software is a surprisingly tight race. NinjaOne leads (43 citations), but Atera, ConnectWise, and Syncro are all within striking distance at 36 each.\ \ 77companies\ \ 14queries\ \ 2engines\ \ 1verticals\ \ NinjaOne leads but 3 competitors tied at 36 citations\ \ PDFCSVAudioRead Report Vertical Report\ \ Q2 2026 — Vertical Deep Dive\ \ State of AI Search: Microsoft Integrators \ \ The consulting and integration partner landscape for Microsoft is dominated by Avanade (54 citations). Accenture sits at #2 with 42, and Hitachi Solutions rounds out the top 3 at 38.\ \ 64companies\ \ 12queries\ \ 2engines\ \ 1verticals\ \ Avanade leads with 54 citations — 12 ahead of #2\ \ PDFCSVAudioRead Report Vertical Report\ \ Q2 2026 — Vertical Deep Dive\ \ State of AI Search: NetSuite Integrators \ \ NetSuite's integration partner ecosystem shows RSM with a clear lead (42 citations). Folio3 and Myers-Holum tie for second at 29 each. Only 12 companies appear on both AI engines.\ \ 63companies\ \ 12queries\ \ 2engines\ \ 1verticals\ \ RSM leads with 42 citations — only 12 appear on both engines\ \ PDFCSVAudioRead Report

Our Methodology

Every report follows the same process. Full methodology details, including query lists, engine configurations, and scoring rules, are available on each individual report page.

01

Define buyer-intent queries

We map the exact questions your prospects ask when evaluating software — the queries that drive pipeline, not vanity traffic. Query counts range from 12 to 42 per vertical.

02

Run queries through AI engines

Every query is tested on ChatGPT (GPT-4o, web browsing disabled) and Perplexity (Sonar Pro). Fresh browser sessions with no prior conversation history. All queries run from US-based IP addresses.

03

Record and score citations

A citation is counted when a company is named as a recommendation, listed in a comparison, or presented as a solution. Each company receives one citation point per appearance. No position weighting is applied. We track total citations, per-engine citations, and cross-engine presence.

04

Analyze and publish with open data

Results are compiled into per-engine breakdowns with full company rankings, methodology documentation, and limitations disclosures. Each report includes the complete dataset as a downloadable CSV under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

Engine coverage note

These reports cover two AI engines: ChatGPT (GPT-4o) and Perplexity (Sonar Pro). Other major engines — including Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Claude — are not included. Companies that perform well on the two tested engines may perform differently on others. Future editions may expand engine coverage.

A note on reproducibility

AI engine responses are non-deterministic — running the same query twice can produce different recommendations. Each query was run once per engine per testing session, so these results represent a single observation, not a statistical average. Our reports capture a snapshot of AI engine behavior during a specific testing window. We document engine versions, query lists, testing dates, and browser configurations so others can attempt replication. Individual results may vary.

Sponsor disclosure

This research is self-funded by AnswerManiac. No company paid for inclusion, higher placement, or favorable treatment. AnswerManiac offers AI visibility services; this research informs those services but was not commissioned by any client.

Open Data

All datasets are available for download under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. Use the data for your own analysis, cite as: Swiler, A. et al. “State of AI Search,” AnswerManiac, 2026.

B2B SaaS\ \ 100 companies · CSV Cybersecurity\ \ 72 companies · CSV MSP Software\ \ 77 companies · CSV Microsoft Integrators\ \ 64 companies · CSV NetSuite Integrators\ \ 63 companies · CSV

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