AI search behavior analysis reveals distinct sourcing patterns across major platforms

Recent studies by TechSuite Inc. and Rocks Life Co., Ltd. have analyzed how major generative AI platforms—including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews—respond to queries regarding service selection in Japan.

TechSuite’s investigation into office relocation and brokerage services found that AI responses are highly diverse, with the most frequently mentioned company appearing in only 29.2% of cases. The research highlighted that AI recommendations shift significantly based on the user's persona; for example, headquarters relocation queries favored large general brokers, while startup-focused queries frequently cited specialized firms.

Rocks Life’s analysis of 1,650 responses regarding real estate crowdfunding revealed distinct differences in how AI models cite information. ChatGPT tended to prioritize official service websites (32.5%), whereas Gemini relied heavily on comparison and explanation sites (65.9%). Overall, across all analyzed queries, comparison and ranking sites were the most common source of information at 42.6%, followed by official websites at 22.7%. The study noted that high AI evaluation rankings do not necessarily correlate with a higher volume of third-party mentions or press releases.