Which sources AI assistants cite: what our data shows
AI assistants like ChatGPT often cite third-party websites rather than your own when answering customer questions. Our two studies show which sites get cited most and what that means for your business.
How we measured it
We ran two studies on 13 October 2026 from the United Kingdom, using the same nine AI assistants. The first study looked at how people choose an AI visibility tool. The second looked at general knowledge questions.
Study 1 collected 657 answers to 73 questions about choosing an AI visibility tool. Study 2 collected 223 answers to 25 general knowledge questions. Both studies used the same nine assistants.
We recorded which websites each assistant cited in its answers. This shows where assistants get their information and which sources they trust.
The sites cited most for tool questions
For questions about choosing an AI visibility tool, a few websites appeared again and again. These are the sites assistants used most often.
- businesscloud.co.uk was cited 100 times
- youtube.com was cited 84 times
- zapier.com was cited 80 times
- dageno.ai was cited 69 times
- visible.seranking.com was cited 60 times
- rank4ai.co.uk was cited 56 times
- semrush.com was cited 49 times
- kime.ai was cited 49 times
Most of these are third-party 'best tools' lists, a video site and software directories. They are not the tools' own websites. This means assistants often rely on what others say about a tool, not what the tool says about itself.
For example, a dentist in Leeds might ask an AI assistant for the best practice management software. The assistant might cite a list from a business blog or a video review, not the software company's own page. So being mentioned on those third-party sites matters as much as your own website.
Not every assistant cites in the same way
In our general knowledge study, assistants showed very different citation habits. Some cited Wikipedia often, while others did not cite it at all.
Google AI Overviews cited Wikipedia in 12 of 23 answers. Perplexity cited it in 11 of 25. But ChatGPT, Claude, DeepSeek and Sarvam cited Wikipedia in none of 25 answers.
When Wikipedia was not cited, britannica.com was cited 13 times and youtube.com 8 times. This shows that assistants fall back on different trusted sources when Wikipedia is not used.
For example, a restaurant owner in Toronto might ask about food safety rules. One assistant might cite Wikipedia, another might cite Britannica, and another might cite a YouTube video. The sources change depending on the assistant and the question.
What it means for your business
Being described on the lists, videos and directories that assistants already cite matters as much as your own site. If assistants trust these third-party sources, you want your business to appear on them.
Check which sites are cited for your own customers' questions. They differ by industry and country. What works for a plumber in Manchester may not work for a bakery in Mumbai.
For example, a yoga studio in Sydney might find that local blog posts and YouTube reviews are cited for 'best yoga studio' questions. Getting listed on those sites could help the studio appear in AI answers.
Vasukai can help you see which sites are cited for your business. It asks AI assistants the questions your customers ask and shows which websites the answers cite.
See the sources for your questions
Vasukai checks 9 assistants (ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Perplexity, Claude, DeepSeek, Meta AI, Sarvam) in 24 languages from the customer's country. It shows where a business is named, who is named instead and which websites the answers cite. It also writes the fixes for you.
You can start with a free AI check. It shows what ChatGPT says about your business and needs no card. Try it at /sign-in?scan=1.
For more details, see our guides on GEO vs SEO and how to get cited by AI.
Questions
Does ChatGPT always cite sources?
No. In our general knowledge study, ChatGPT cited Wikipedia in none of 25 answers. How often it shows sources depends on the question and the mode.
Where can I get the data?
The tools study is at /ai-visibility-tools-study and the Wikipedia study at /ai-citation-study. Both have CSV downloads.
How do I find the sources for my own industry?
Run the free AI check at /sign-in?scan=1. It lists the sites cited for your business.
