Does ChatGPT Recommend Local Businesses?

Short answer: it can. ChatGPT, Google's AI results and Perplexity sometimes name specific local businesses and sometimes give general advice instead. Here's what the platforms themselves say, what I'd get right first and how to check what AI says about your business.

What we actually know

• People are asking. In BrightLocal's 2026 survey of 1,002 US consumers, 45% said they use ChatGPT or other AI tools for local recommendations, up from 6% the year before (BrightLocal, Local Consumer Review Survey 2026).
• ChatGPT search uses outside sources. OpenAI says ChatGPT search "leverages third-party search providers, as well as content provided directly by our partners" (OpenAI, Oct 2024). It doesn't say how businesses are ranked.
• Google's AI results follow the normal basics. Google says "There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary" (Google Search Central).
• Google's local results "are mainly based on relevance, distance, and prominence," and Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help your local ranking (Google Business Profile Help).

What I'd get right first

Nobody outside the AI companies knows exactly how they pick businesses. These are the basics I'd get right first. They're my view, not a study.

Accurate, consistent business details

Your name, phone and service area should match on your website, your Google Business Profile and the directories you use. That way anyone, person or machine, can match the two.

A steady flow of Google reviews

Google says more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking. How AI tools use reviews isn't published, but people do read them: 98% of consumers at least occasionally read online reviews when researching local businesses (BrightLocal, 2023).

A website that clearly says what you do and where

Spell out your services and the towns you serve. Structured data helps search engines understand the page, though Google says "there's also no special schema.org structured data that you need to add" for its AI features.

Pages you keep current

I'd keep key pages current and show the date. It gives customers and search engines more to work with.

How to find out what AI says about your business

Open ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google in three tabs. Ask each: "best [your service] in [your city]." Then ask: "is [your business name] a good [service] in [city]?" Then ask: "what should I look for in a [service] in [city]?"

Note who comes up. Note what gets said about you (if anything). That's your starting baseline. Repeat monthly to track movement.