In an era where artificial intelligence is increasingly shaping how people discover service professionals, we decided to put two of the leading AI engines, ChatGPT and Google's AI, to the test. Running 271 queries of the form "best [specialty] in [city]," we sought to uncover how aligned their recommendations truly are. The results were striking: only 5% of the names recommended showed up in both AI outputs. Despite answering the same questions, these two engines produced almost completely different lists of professionals.
Divergent Recommendations Reveal AI's Discovery Challenges
This divergence is more than a statistical curiosity; it reveals fundamental challenges in how AI discovers and ranks professionals in service industries like real estate and others. Seven of the top ten most frequently mentioned names were not individuals but firms. These firm names often act as placeholders, representing the AI's fallback when no individual professional has accumulated enough digital signal or reputation to solidify their presence in the rankings.
Furthermore, an overwhelming 78% of the individuals named appeared only once across thousands of queries. This means most professionals remain essentially invisible to AI-powered discovery tools today. For clients searching for trusted real estate agents or specialists in other fields, this fragmented visibility creates confusion and instability.
What Does This Mean for Professionals and Clients?
The discovery layer for service-based businesses is, at present, bifurcated and unstable. AI recommendations are not yet a reliable source for clients seeking top professionals. Instead, many slots in these AI-generated lists remain wide open, waiting for individuals to build enough digital presence and trust signals to claim them.
- AI engines like ChatGPT and Google's AI often produce vastly different recommendations for the same queries.
- Firm names dominate top results when individual professionals have not built sufficient signal.
- Most professionals appear infrequently in AI-generated recommendations, indicating limited discoverability.
- The current discovery ecosystem is fractured, leaving opportunities for professionals to enhance their visibility.
"AI has rewritten how people search. It hasn't changed how they choose."
As Mark van Ryswyk, CEO & Co-Founder of Catchouse, explains, the human relationship remains the core product in high-stakes decisions like real estate. While AI can extend expertise, it cannot replace the trust and personal connection clients seek. Building a structured trust layer is essential to empower AI to recommend the right professionals effectively.
Looking Ahead: Claiming Your Space in AI Discovery
For professionals in other service industries, the takeaway is clear: invest in building your digital presence and trust signals. This is the key to moving from the shadows into the spotlight of AI-driven discovery. As AI continues to evolve, those who proactively shape their reputations will be better positioned to connect with clients through these new digital channels.
In summary, our experiment with 271 queries against ChatGPT and Google's AI revealed a fragmented and unstable discovery layer that professionals must navigate. By understanding how AI currently operates and where it falls short, service providers can better prepare to claim their rightful place in this evolving landscape.