preferly

Where do ChatGPT and other AI tools get information about my business?

From two places: what a model learned in training, and what its web search finds when someone asks. Search results often come from directories, review sites, maps, “best of” lists and your own website. When AI contradicts your website, it’s usually repeating one of those other sources, so find it and correct it.

Updated October 22, 2026

Typical sources for a local business

  • Your website.
  • Google Business Profile, for Google’s own products.
  • Bing Places and Apple Business Connect.
  • Yelp and other review sites.
  • Industry directories.
  • Local news and “best of” lists.
  • Reddit threads.

Not every tool uses the same search, and which one a tool uses can change.

How to see the sources

Turn search on, ask the question and open the cited links. Or ask: “Which sources did you use?”

When AI contradicts your website

It’s usually repeating an old listing, a directory, a review, or a business with a similar name. Open every cited link and note which one says the wrong thing.

Fix what you control first: your own site, in plain text and structured data, then your listings, then ask third-party sites to update. For a similar-named business, say clearly on your homepage and About page who you are and where.

Who decides what’s right

Sometimes your own site is the one that’s out of date. Preferly flags a contradiction only when it can quote the part of your website that disagrees; you decide which source to update.

What Preferly shows

The full report lists the sources AI cited for you and for your competitors, and every checkable claim where AI contradicts your website, with the evidence. The free check shows up to two contradictions.

Questions

Does ChatGPT use Google?

ChatGPT runs its own search and works with search partners. It isn’t Google Search, so your Google ranking doesn’t carry over one for one.

Can I make ChatGPT forget wrong information?

Not directly. You change what it reads. Answers with search on change when the sources change.

AI confuses my business with another one. What do I do?

State your full name, location and what you do on your homepage and About page, use the same name on every listing, and add structured data with your address and website.

Why does AI mention a business that closed?

Training data and old listings outlive the business. The fix is the same as for wrong hours.

Sources

Start free check

3 AI models, 5 customer questions, about a minute. Or check whether AI crawlers can reach your site.