ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity source their information drastically differently. This highlights the complexity of artificial intelligence (AI) visibility optimization, a new study has found.
Profound, a company helping brands monitor and influence their presence in AI search engines, has analyzed 30 million citations across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity from August 2024 to June 2025.
Distinct patterns in how each platform sources information were uncovered, the study says. Perhaps a little surprisingly, OpenAI’s ChatGPT shows a clear preference for Wikipedia, which accounts for nearly half (47.9%) of its top citations within its top 10 most-cited sources.
According to Profound, Wikipedia's dominance suggests the importance of maintaining accurate Wikipedia entries. However, the company also sees a healthy mix of traditional media (Reuters, New York Post) and tech-focused sites (TechRadar, G2).
Still, Google AI Overviews shows a more balanced distribution across platforms. Its top source or citation for answers was Reddit at only 21%.
Highlighting strong integration with Google’s ecosystem, YouTube is close at 18.8%, the study has found. Plus, it’s clear that Google’s product places a significant emphasis on professional content, such as that shared on LinkedIn and Gartner.
Perplexity, on the other hand, shows a unique concentration in community platforms: it really favors Reddit at 46.7%. This suggests heavy reliance on community discussions, Profound says.
Ironically, a striking graph of data, which went viral on Reddit recently, showed the percentage of web users visiting ChatGPT overtaking Wikipedia over the past two years. Data was compiled by GWI, a UK-based market research company.
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