One Quarter of Businesses Invisible to Artificial Intelligence: Lucie Research

A new study from Lucie Research reveals that nearly one in four businesses are 'invisible' to artificial intelligence. The research, which analyzed 846 AI queries through its AI visibility system, found that many companies - even those optimized for Google search - were not visible to AI.

Craig Lucie, founder and CEO of Lucie Research, noted that the problem is particularly pressing as more consumers turn to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google's AI answers to recommend local solutions. According to recent research from BrightLocal, 45% of consumers now use AI tools to find local businesses, up from just 6% a year earlier.

The study also found that when customers asked AI for a recommendation, a competitor was named instead of the tested business about 40% of the time. The single biggest factor in whether a business got recommended at all was simply being found by the AI.