"AI search" is not one thing. A homeowner who sees a summary above Google's results, one who taps Google's AI Mode, and one who asks ChatGPT may each see a different list of contractors, built from different sources.
This guide explains the three, what each seems to read when someone asks for a local pro, and what that means for where you spend your time. As always, these are patterns from studies, many by companies that sell related services. Nobody can guarantee what any of them says about you.
The three tools in plain English
Google AI Overviews are short AI-written summaries that can appear at the top of regular Google results. You don't opt in; they just show up for some searches.
Google AI Mode is a separate conversational search mode inside Google. A customer types or says a question and gets a longer written answer with follow-ups.
ChatGPT (with search) is OpenAI's assistant. It looks things up on the web and writes an answer, usually naming a few businesses and showing the links it used.
All three can answer "Who's a good roofer near me?" Their sources differ.
What each one seems to read
Google's AI features: mostly Google
Google says there are "no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary." Your pages need to be indexed and eligible to show in Search, and Google recommends keeping Business Profile information up to date (Google). Google also says there is no special markup or AI file you need.
The data fits. In the Cheers study of 34,742 home-services answers (September 2026), Google's AI Mode cited Google properties in 95.5% of answers, which includes Business Profiles and their reviews (Cheers). BrightLocal's August 2026 study of 1,355 locations found Google's own profile the top source for both AI Overviews and AI Mode, followed by Yelp and Facebook (BrightLocal).
A small November 2026 index (5W, 29 AI Overviews) found AI Overviews leaned on community and video sources, with YouTube in 48.3% of them (5W). That is a small, agency-run sample, so treat it as a hint.
ChatGPT: directories, ranking sites and websites
The Cheers study found ChatGPT cited Google just 0.1% of the time, and leaned on Expertise.com (about 32%), Angi/HomeAdvisor (about 29%) and BBB (about 15%). Yext's analysis of 155.5 million citations found about 49% of OpenAI's citations went to business websites and 36% to listings and directories (Yext).
In our own November 2026 study of 390 Texas markets, ChatGPT cited Angi in 78.5% of markets and the ranking site ContractorsRanked in 71.8%, and cited Yelp and Facebook in none. Google domains appeared in 3 of 390 markets. Yelp and OpenAI announced a data deal in July 2026, so that may change (guide).
Gemini and Perplexity (the others you may hear about)
Yext found Gemini sent about 52% of its citations to business websites, and Perplexity about 51%, with listings at around 28 to 30% each. Perplexity is known to lean on Yelp, BBB and Expertise.com for home services. Only about 5% of citations overlap between ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini.
Side by side
| AI Overviews | AI Mode | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it shows | Top of Google results | Google's AI Mode | The ChatGPT app and site |
| Main sources seen | Google profile, plus video and community sites | Google properties (95.5% of answers in Cheers) | Directories, ranking sites, business websites |
| Cites Google? | Yes | Yes, heavily | Rarely (0.1% in Cheers) |
| Cites Yelp? | Often (BrightLocal) | Often (BrightLocal) | Disputed; none in our Texas test, heavy in BrightLocal's |
| Special setup needed | None, per Google | None, per Google | Allow OAI-SearchBot |
What to do for each
For Google's AI features
- Keep your Google Business Profile complete and accurate: categories, services, hours, service area, photos.
- Keep reviews flowing and reply to them. Google's AI reads them directly.
- Have clear service pages on your own site. Make sure your pages can be indexed.
- That's the same work that helps regular Google results.
For ChatGPT
- Let its crawler in. See how to allow OAI-SearchBot.
- Claim and complete the directories it cites: Angi, BBB, Thumbtack and the "best of" sites. See the directories ChatGPT reads and the best-of sites.
- Keep reviews fresh on the sites it cites.
- Check results the right way. See the five-minute test.
For all of them
- Same name, address, phone and hours everywhere. Wrong details spread. See what to do if ChatGPT shows the wrong phone number.
- Real photos, real reviews, real credentials.
Which one are your customers using?
Nobody can tell you for your business. BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey found 45% of people use ChatGPT or other generative AI tools for local recommendations (up from 6% the year before), but it doesn't split by tool or trade (BrightLocal). A 2026 roofing survey found 74% of homeowners follow a recommendation from someone they know (Roofing Contractor).
The practical way to find out: ask every new customer how they found you and write it down. After a few months you'll know more than any survey can tell you. See how to track visits and calls from ChatGPT.
FAQ
Do I need a separate strategy for each? Not really. Accurate profiles, fresh reviews, listings on the right sites and a clear website help all of them. The sources just differ in weight.
Which matters more, Google or ChatGPT? For most local trades, Google is still the larger channel. See will ChatGPT replace Google.
Can I opt out of AI Overviews? That's a decision about Google's controls, and we haven't researched it. The usual approach is to appear and make sure what it says is accurate.
See how each tool sees you. Run a free scan at localpickai.com. You'll see whether ChatGPT names you, who it names instead, which websites it read, and what to fix first. Free, no signup, about a minute.
