Short answer
Because buying research has moved into AI. In G2's March 2026 survey of 1,076 B2B software buyers, 51% said they start research in an AI chatbot, 69% said a chatbot changed the vendor they chose, and 1 in 3 bought from a vendor they hadn't heard of before. When AI summaries appear, users click links less often, so being named inside the answer matters more.
The evidence
| Finding | Source |
|---|---|
| 51% of B2B software buyers start research in an AI chatbot | G2, March 2026 |
| 69% changed vendor because of a chatbot | G2, March 2026 |
| 1 in 3 bought from a vendor new to them | G2, March 2026 |
| Users clicked a result in 8% of visits with an AI summary vs 15% without | Pew Research, July 2025 |
What it means
- The shortlist can form before a buyer visits your site
- Unknown vendors can win if AI describes them well
- Fewer clicks means being named in the answer is the new visibility
Questions
Is this only for big brands?
No. The GEO paper found lower-ranked sources gained the most from better content, and G2 found buyers choosing vendors they hadn't heard of.
Facts checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. Platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
