How ChatGPT Decides Who’s ‘Best Near You’: A Quick Look at AI GEO

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Lately, I’ve noticed something interesting: People aren’t just Googling key phrases anymore. They prefer to ask a person—or something person-like—for help instead. 

“What are the best coffee shops in Manhattan?” 

“What yoga studios are located near Sunset Boulevard?” 

“What’s the best agency in NYC for startup PR?”

The question isn’t whether people are asking—its where they’re asking. More and more, people are turning to AI platforms instead of traditional search engines. In June 2025 alone, platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity drove over 1.13 billion referrals to top websites—a 357% increase year-over-year. ChatGPT accounted for more than 80% of those referrals. 

It’s clear that this is the new way discovery happens. And as someone who’s spent their career in PR and visibility, I know how fast new tech moves. A business that doesn’t ride this wave right now risks losing growth opportunities—and becoming irrelevant as early as next year. 

So, now that we know AI referrals are a visibility game-changer, let’s talk about what that means for your brand. 

3 Ways AI Decides Who’s ‘Best Near You’

1. AI recommends what it’s been trained to trust
The main difference between search engines and generative AI is that it doesn’t comb through realtime website data. So it’s not enough that you have quality content on your own website. To get AI to recommend you, you need to be mentioned on trusted sites and in widely referenced content. This allows the models to pull your name from sources they index regularly. 

2. AI results are becoming hyper-local and niche-aware
Many AI platforms are now returning more localized, niche-specific results. For example, if you’re mentioned in roundups like “Best specialty coffee in NYC”, AI is more likely to recommend you because it can repeat that context when users ask about NYC coffee shops in general.

3. If AI can’t see you, it can’t suggest you
Some brands are choosing to block AI platforms from accessing their content, likely to protect their IP or avoid their content being used to train large language models (LLMs). While this is completely understandable, there’s a trade-off: AI won’t be able to learn about your brand or verify you as a credible source, so it won’t recommend you when users search locally. 

Search behavior has changed dramatically in the last year, and the best thing a brand can do is lean into that shift. 

To support brand leaders navigating this shift, I’m offering a few complimentary 15-minute sessions to review how your business is showing up in AI-driven results like ChatGPT.

These quick, insight-packed calls are designed to help you identify visibility gaps and discover what PR and content levers you can pull right now.

📅 Book your call with me here

Perception doesn’t just happen — it’s shaped by the stories you share and the consistency with which you share them. Whether it’s through press, social media, or word-of-mouth, every message adds up to how your brand is understood by the world.

The more you talk about what you do and why it matters, the more others will too.

Want to get intentional about what your brand is known for? Start with You Need PR.