New independent research
What AI says about your
brand depends on what
customers say about you
AI search is changing how people choose brands. Trustpilot and
SEER Interactive analyzed 800,000+ AI responses to understand
how reviews influence visibility in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and
Google AI Mode.
See how customer reviews shape AI-generated answers — and what
your business can do to improve visibility in AI search.
Key insights from the report
AI search engines do more than create answers. They evaluate sources, compare claims, and use third-party signals
to decide which brands appear credible. This report shows where customer reviews fit into that process.
AI uses reviews for independent validation
Review and trust sites ranked as the second most-cited source category in the study, behind only the general web.
Review influence grows as conversion intent rises
As consumers move from awareness to intent, AI relies more heavily on review sources to help form recommendations.
A Trustpilot profile can change AI visibility quickly
Brands with no Trustpilot profile had a 1% citation rate. Brands with a claimed profile and a median of 13 reviews reached 54%.
AI reads review content, not just ratings
When AI cites Trustpilot, it often summarizes customer experience themes like service quality, delivery, product quality, refunds, and trust concerns.
“Everyone is talking about AI, but few
businesses have clear data on how AI systems
actually evaluate brands. This research
helps leaders move beyond speculation and
understand how customer sentiment can
shape the answers AI gives to future buyers.”
Ciaran Dynes, Chief Product Officer, Trustpilot
AI-driven discovery
Search is changing from finding
links to forming answers
For the past 20 years, digital marketers have been focused on ranking
well in search results - but now, AI search is changing that. Consumers
use tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to discover brands. This means
you are now competing to be included and recommended inside an
AI-generated answer.
The question has changed:
It is no longer just, “Can people find us online?”
It is, “When AI is asked about us, what does it say?”
Where AI looks for proof
Trustpilot ranked #1 across every AI platform studied
Not all review sites influence AI answers equally. Across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Gemini, and Perplexity,
Trustpilot was the most-cited review platform in the study.
ChatGPT
Google AI Mode
Gemini
Perplexity
The Trustpilot effect
A review presence can create a measurable lift in AI visibility
One of the clearest findings from the study is that businesses do not need a massive review footprint to improve AI
visibility. Brands with no claimed Trustpilot profile were cited in AI responses just 1% of the time. Brands with a claimed
profile and a median of 13 reviews were cited 54% of the time. Brands with active profiles and a median of 81 reviews were
cited in 75% of responses.
1%
Citation rate for brands with no claimed Trustpilot profile.
54%
Citation rate after claiming a profile, based on profiles with a median of 13 reviews.
75%
Citation rate for active profiles with a median of 81 reviews.
The biggest gains happen early: establishing a review presences gives AI systems an
independent source to reference when they describe, compare, or recommend a brand.
Proven benefits beyond service reviews
Combined, service, product and location reviews increase your brand’s visibility and AI citation rate. Reviews give AI
search and potential customers the specific feedback they need to choose your product or locations.
See AI citation rates jump 12 percentage points
when you add product reviews to your strategy.
*Source: 'What AI says about you', 2026
59% of AI recommendations include a TrustScore or star rating
as evidence when making a recommendation.*
*Source: 'What AI says about you', 2026
AI citation rates can increase 7 percentage points
when you collect location reviews.*
*Source: 'What AI says about you', 2026
Just 1 location review makes you visible to AI engines
and significantly increases with 5-9.*
*Source: 'What AI says about you', 2026
See how AI uses reviews to evaluate brands
The full report breaks down how AI systems cite review platforms, how citation rates change across the buyer
journey, and how Trustpilot profiles influence brand visibility.
Brand narrative
AI does not just cite reviews. It uses them to describe you.
AI can surface TrustScore, star rating, and review count, or draw on recurring themes in customer feedback.
Customer service quality
The most common theme surfaced in Trustpilot-citing responses.
Shipping and delivery
A frequent signal when AI evaluates customer experience.
Product or service quality
A core part of how AI summarizes brand performance.
Scam or legitimacy concerns
A trust-related theme AI may surface when buyers ask risk-based questions.
Refund or return issues
A key signal when buyers are close to making a purchase decision.
Competitive visibility
AI can recommend your brand when
buyers ask about your competitors
AI search is not limited to questions about your own brand. When
buyers ask AI tools about your competitors, you could be mentioned.
That’s the co-mention effect.
A co-mention happens when AI mentions your brand in response to a
query about your competitor, “What are the best alternatives to Brand
X?” or “Who competes with Brand Y?”
Don’t let AI guess who you are
AI search is changing how consumers find and evaluate your brand. We analyzed over 800,000 AI responses to uncover exactly
how trust impacts your visibility in answer engines.
Download the white paper and take control of your AI search strategy.
Speak to a Trustpilot expert