Berlin – September 12, 2026 -- Nearly 77 percent of businesses ranking in Google's top 10 results are completely invisible when customers query AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity, according to a new report from German directory operator Gelbe Seiten.
AI assistants cite fewer than five businesses per query, sidelining most Google top performers
The Gelbe Seiten AI Visibility Report 2026, based on 10,000 searches across 10 industries, found that AI assistants recommend an average of just 4.8 businesses per search -- a fraction of the traditional search results list. As a result, 76.9 percent of companies that rank in Google's top 10 are omitted entirely from AI-generated answers, breaking the long-standing link between search engine ranking and customer discovery.
Directories, not search rankings, drive AI recommendations for local firms
Nearly 59 percent of businesses that AI assistants do recommend do not appear in Google's top 10 at all. Instead, the report found that language models pull information preferentially from structured business directories, company websites and industry platforms rather than conventional search rankings.
Gelbe Seiten launches free AI visibility check for small and mid-sized firms
Berlin-based pdm solutions GmbH, which operates the Gelbe Seiten, Das Örtliche and Das Telefonbuch directory brands, has released a free, registration-free AI visibility check that analyzes a company's presence across leading AI assistants using only its name, location and optional website. The tool targets small and mid-sized businesses -- such as electricians, heating contractors and tax advisors -- that lack dedicated marketing or SEO resources.
"The rules for local visibility have fundamentally changed. Businesses need to know whether AI assistants can find them and how they are presented to customers," said Christian Baumert, CEO of pdm solutions.
Company pairs diagnostic tool with free course and structured directory listings
Alongside the check, pdm solutions offers a free five-step online course guiding businesses through AI optimization basics, plus a free basic listing on gelbeseiten.de. The company positions structured directory data -- including business details, hours and service offerings -- as a verified source that AI crawlers can process directly, given language models' preference for directory-sourced information over standard search rankings.