Yes, people are genuinely using AI to find local businesses, and the shift happened fast. In BrightLocal's Local Consumer Review Survey, the share of consumers using AI tools like ChatGPT for local business recommendations jumped from about 6% to roughly 45% in a single year. On top of that, Google's AI Overviews, the AI-written answer that appears above the normal results, now show up on close to half of all Google searches according to BrightEdge tracking.
So this isn't a niche behavior for tech people anymore. A homeowner looking for a plumber at 9pm might type a full question into ChatGPT, or they might just search on Google and read the AI summary at the top before they ever scroll to the map. Either way, an AI is deciding which businesses to mention. If yours isn't in that short list, you don't get the call.
How are people actually using AI to find a business?
There are two main ways it's happening, and most owners only think about one of them.
The first is a chatbot. Someone opens ChatGPT and types something like "who's a good electrician near me for panel upgrades" or "I need an emergency plumber, who should I call." The AI answers in plain sentences and names a few businesses, sometimes with reasons why.
The second is bigger and quieter: Google's AI Overviews. Most people don't realize they're using AI at all. They do a normal Google search, and Google puts an AI-written summary at the top that answers the question and points to specific businesses. Per recent BrightEdge tracking, that AI summary appears on roughly 48-50% of U.S. queries. So even people who'd never open ChatGPT are already getting AI recommendations.
Where does the AI get its answers?
This is the part that matters for you, because it means you can influence what the AI says. AI tools don't invent businesses out of thin air. They pull from public information across the web, and for local businesses that means a few specific sources.
- Your Google Business Profile, the free listing with your hours, phone, address, services, and reviews. This is the single most important source.
- Your website, especially clear text that spells out what you do, where you work, and who you help. AI has to be able to read it, not just look at pictures.
- Your reviews, both the number of them and how recent they are. AI notices a business with lots of fresh, positive reviews.
- Directory and citation sites where your name, address, and phone number appear. Consistency across them builds trust.
- Any mentions of your business in local articles, forums, or community pages.
None of this is exotic. It's the same foundation that has always helped you show up on Google. AI just reads those same signals and turns them into a sentence.
Does this mean regular Google search doesn't matter anymore?
No. The map pack, the reviews, the phone-tap-to-call, those still drive a huge amount of business. What's changed is that AI now sits on top of all of it and gives people a shortcut. Some searchers take the AI's short list and never scroll further. Others use the AI to narrow it down, then check the map and reviews before calling.
The practical takeaway: you're not choosing between "rank on Google" and "get named by AI." Doing the first well is what makes the second happen. A well-kept Google profile and a clear website feed both.
| Old way | AI-assisted way | |
|---|---|---|
| How they search | Type keywords, scroll a list of links | Ask a full question, read one answer |
| What they see | Ten links plus a map | A short summary naming a few businesses |
| Who wins | Whoever ranks near the top | Whoever the AI names, usually a handful |
| What it rewards | Keywords and links | Clear info, strong reviews, consistent details |
How do I get my business recommended by AI?
You don't need a secret. You need the boring stuff done well and kept current. AI answers typically name only a handful of businesses, so the goal is to be an obvious, trustworthy pick that's easy for the AI to read and repeat.
- 1Claim and complete your Google Business Profile. Fill in every field: hours, service area, every service you offer, and real photos.
- 2Make your website say plainly what you do, where you work, and who you serve. Use normal words a customer would type, and put them in actual text, not just images.
- 3Get reviews steadily and keep them coming. Ask every happy customer, and reply to the ones you get. Recent reviews carry weight.
- 4Keep your name, address, and phone number identical everywhere online. Mismatches make AI unsure which info is right.
- 5Answer your phone. AI can send someone your way, but if the call goes to voicemail, the lead is gone. Fast response is part of the whole game.
Is this worth paying attention to now, or can I wait?
Wait and you'll fall behind. The jump from about 6% to roughly 45% in one year isn't a slow drift, it's a fast change in how people search. And because Google's AI summaries reach so many searches automatically, the switch is happening whether or not your customers ever open a chatbot.
The good news is the work compounds. A complete profile, a readable website, and a steady stream of reviews help you across normal search, the map, and AI answers all at once. If keeping all that current and answering every call feels like more than you can juggle, that's exactly what a service like Fast Digital Marketing handles, an AI-built website with a 24/7 AI receptionist, booking, reviews, and lead follow-up bundled together for $297/month, no setup fee, month-to-month.
- ✓Yes, people are using AI to find local businesses, and the numbers are climbing fast.
- ✓Google's AI summaries mean people get AI recommendations even without a chatbot.
- ✓AI pulls from your Google profile, website, and reviews, so keep all three clean and current.
- ✓AI names only a few businesses, so the aim is to be an obvious, trustworthy pick.
- ✓Getting found is wasted if you don't answer the call. Make sure every call gets picked up.