Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information? This question has become increasingly important as AI-powered search transforms how customers find local businesses. Here’s a quick answer:
| AI Model | Primary Local Business Data Sources |
|---|---|
| Google Gemini | Google Business Profiles, Google Maps data (250M+ places), web crawls, user contributions (300M+ contributors), licensed third-party data |
| ChatGPT | Publicly available web content, Bing data, business websites, local directories, review platforms |
| Other AI Models | Knowledge graphs, structured data (schema markup), public databases, user-generated content, specialized directory listings |
When you ask AI assistants about local businesses, they’re not just making things up. They’re drawing from a complex web of information sources to provide recommendations, hours, reviews, and other details you need.
I’m Ahmed Elmahdy, founder of Rocket Launch Media, and I’ve spent over a decade helping businesses improve their visibility across digital platforms where Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and other AI models get local business information from. My team and I have helped over 500 clients optimize their online presence for both traditional search and emerging AI platforms.
The Mechanics: Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information?
Ever wonder how AI chatbots seem to know so much about that new coffee shop down the street? Let’s peek behind the digital curtain and see exactly how these intelligent systems gather local business information.
When you ask ChatGPT about “the best pizza place in Columbus” or ask Google Gemini to find “dog-friendly coffee shops near Dublin, Ohio,” these AI assistants aren’t just making educated guesses. They’re tapping into vast repositories of structured data about local businesses through sophisticated systems designed to collect, validate, and organize information.
How “Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information?” Fuels Crawlers & Knowledge Graphs
AI models are constantly hungry for fresh, accurate business data. They satisfy this appetite through several key methods:
Web crawlers work tirelessly behind the scenes, scanning business websites, directory listings, review platforms, and even local news mentions. Think of them as digital librarians, carefully cataloging every mention of your business across the internet.
Knowledge graphs serve as the brain center for all this information. Google’s Knowledge Graph, for instance, contains billions of interconnected facts about places and businesses, creating a web of relationships that helps AI understand context. When someone asks about “that popular taco place on High Street,” the AI can connect the dots.
According to Google’s own documentation on How Google sources & uses info in Business Profiles & local search results: “To provide users with the most complete and up-to-date information about places, Google displays business information from various sources across the web.”
Beyond crawling the open web, AI models tap into public databases like Wikipedia and Wikidata, purchase access to licensed data feeds from specialized providers, and collect information directly submitted by business owners through platforms like Google Business Profile and Bing Places.
| AI Model | Data Freshness | Update Frequency | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Gemini | Very High | Real-time to days | Google Maps (250M+ places) |
| ChatGPT (GPT-4) | Moderate | Weeks to months | Web crawl, Bing data |
| Perplexity AI | High | Hours to days | Real-time web search |
| Anthropic Claude | Moderate | Training cutoff | Web crawl data |
Google holds a significant advantage in local data freshness thanks to its massive Maps Platform, which contains information on more than 250 million businesses and places worldwide, constantly updated by over 300 million community contributors.
Validating Accuracy: Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information? Cross-Checks & Updates
AI models don’t blindly trust every piece of information they encounter. They’re surprisingly skeptical, employing several methods to ensure accuracy:
Consistency checks help AI spot discrepancies across sources. If your restaurant’s hours differ between your website and Yelp listing, the model notices this red flag and may prioritize the most reliable or recent source.
User signals provide real-world validation that’s invaluable to AI systems. Google Gemini, for example, weighs heavily on customer reviews, user-uploaded photos, check-ins, and reported corrections. These human touchpoints help AI separate fact from fiction.
Structured data acts like a universal translator for AI models. When your business website uses schema markup (a standardized format that clearly labels information), you’re essentially speaking the AI’s native language. This makes it much easier for models to correctly understand your business name, address, phone number, hours, services, and more.
Google Business Profiles has even begun offering AI-powered business descriptions that automatically generate summaries based on profile information. This shows how AI is now creating coherent narratives from the structured business data it collects – completing a fascinating circle where AI both consumes and creates business information.
Understanding where Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and other AI models get local business information is the first step toward ensuring your business shows up accurately when potential customers ask AI assistants for recommendations in your area.
Optimizing Your Business for AI Findy
Now that you understand how AI models gather local business information, let’s talk about how to make sure your business shines when potential customers are using these AI tools to find services like yours.
AI Search Optimization (AISO) vs Traditional Local SEO
The game has changed, friends. While traditional local SEO still matters, AI Search Optimization (AISO) brings new elements to the table that you can’t afford to ignore.
Traditional local SEO has always focused on keywords, backlinks, Google Business Profile optimization, citation building, and review management. These fundamentals remain important! But Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information? requires thinking beyond these basics.
AISO asks you to consider how people actually talk to AI assistants. This means creating conversational content that directly answers natural questions. It means implementing structured data so AI systems can easily understand what your business offers. It means doubling down on E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) and organizing information in FAQ formats that mirror how people ask questions.
At Rocket Launch Media, we’ve seen remarkable results when businesses combine traditional Local Search Engine Optimization with these new AISO approaches. Our Google MyBusiness SEO strategies now include these AI-friendly elements as standard practice.
Take one of our Youngstown restaurant clients – they saw a 32% jump in “finded in search” metrics after we added schema markup and restructured their content to answer common questions like “What’s the best Italian restaurant in Youngstown?” Think about how your customers might ask about your business and make sure that information is front and center.
The most effective AISO strategies focus on three key areas:
First, make your content sound human. Write like you’re having a conversation, not like you’re stuffing keywords into a document. Use natural language that matches how real people ask questions, and structure your content with clear headings that AI models can easily interpret.
Second, implement structured data. This is like giving AI models a cheat sheet about your business. Use schema.org markup to clearly label your business type, hours, services, and frequently asked questions. Make sure your NAP (Name, Address, Phone) information is consistent everywhere it appears.
Finally, prioritize mobile optimization. AI search happens predominantly on mobile devices. Ensure your site loads quickly, responds well to different screen sizes, and is optimized for voice search – which often relies on these same AI models.
Listings Management, Directories & Yext
If you want AI models to recommend your business, you need to cast a wide net with your online presence. Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information? includes a vast ecosystem of directories and listings.
Here’s something interesting: Yext research found that Bing Copilot and Meta AI – two major AI models – listed Yext as a trusted data source for local business information without any prompting. This highlights why having accurate information across the web matters so much.
Your listings strategy should start with the heavy hitters: Google Business Profile (feeding Google Gemini), Bing Places (powering Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT), Apple Maps (for Siri and Apple Intelligence), and Facebook Business Pages. But don’t stop there! Review platforms like Yelp and TripAdvisor, data aggregators like Yext and Moz Local, and even niche directories specific to your industry all play a role in how AI models understand your business.
The Google Maps Platform blog recently announced that developers can now “provide AI-powered place and area summaries, with Gemini model capabilities for Places API.” In plain English? Businesses with accurate Google Maps information will benefit from AI-generated summaries that highlight what makes them special.
NAP consistency remains the golden rule of listings management – your Name, Address, and Phone number should be identical everywhere they appear. But don’t neglect your business descriptions – use natural language that matches how customers describe what you do, and keep your hours and special information updated across all platforms.
One of our Columbus retail clients saw a 45% increase in “directions requests” after we implemented a comprehensive listings strategy across 50+ directories. The more consistent and widespread your information, the more confidently AI models can recommend your business.
Monitoring & Fixing AI Mentions
As AI increasingly becomes the first stop for people seeking local businesses, monitoring how these systems represent your company is essential.
The simplest way to check your business in AI responses is to regularly ask AI assistants about your business directly. Try variations of questions a potential customer might ask, and compare results across different platforms like Gemini and ChatGPT. You might be surprised at the differences!
You can also track AI-driven traffic using Google Analytics 4 (GA4). Look for referral sources that might indicate AI-influenced visits, and monitor changes in direct traffic patterns, which often include AI-driven visits.
When you find inaccurate information about your business (and trust me, it happens to everyone), take a systematic approach to fixing it:
First, identify the source. AI models don’t make things up – they’re pulling information from somewhere. Figure out which platform contains the incorrect information.
Next, update your primary listings, starting with Google Business Profile and Bing Places. These are the heavy hitters that feed many AI models directly.
Don’t forget to improve your website’s structured data. Make sure your site clearly states the correct information and implements schema markup to make it machine-readable.
Finally, monitor and follow up. Check AI responses again after a few weeks to see if the corrections have taken effect. If issues persist, consider reaching out to the AI provider’s support.
Our SEO Success Check List now includes AI visibility monitoring as a standard component for all clients because it’s that important.
One of our Dublin service businesses finded ChatGPT was providing outdated service information. After updating their structured data, Bing Places listing, and several industry directories, the AI responses corrected within three weeks. Patience and persistence pay off!
Conclusion & Next Steps
Where Do Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Other AI Models Get Local Business Information? We’ve taken a deep dive into this complex ecosystem – from web crawls and knowledge graphs to business listings and user reviews. What’s clear is that your business’s visibility in AI responses isn’t left to chance. It depends on how well you manage your digital footprint across the platforms these AI systems trust.
At Rocket Launch Media, we’ve evolved our strategies to help Ohio businesses thrive in this new frontier. We don’t just stick with traditional SEO anymore – we blend it with cutting-edge AI Search Optimization to make sure you show up prominently when potential customers ask their AI assistants about services like yours.
What’s Coming Next in AI Search
The AI search landscape is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead means watching these key trends:
Multimodal search is changing the game. AI systems now process images, video, and audio alongside text. Those professional photos of your storefront and products? They’re becoming increasingly valuable for visibility.
Real-time updates are accelerating. Remember when search engines took weeks to reflect your business changes? Google’s Places API now updates almost instantly, making timely information management crucial.
Conversational commerce is the next frontier. Soon, customers will book appointments, make purchases, and reserve tables directly through AI assistants. Having accurate hours, booking capabilities, and product details will make or break these transactions.
Misinformation challenges are growing. As AI usage expands, so does the risk of AI “hallucinations” about your business. Proactive monitoring isn’t just helpful – it’s becoming essential for reputation management.
For local businesses in Columbus, Dublin, and Youngstown, these changes offer unique opportunities to stand out. Our ai-for-local-businesses resource hub provides Ohio-specific guidance that’s already helping local companies adapt.
Your AI-Ready Business Checklist
Ready to take action? Here’s what needs your attention:
First, claim and verify your Google Business Profile and Bing Places listings – these are the primary sources for Google Gemini and ChatGPT. Then implement LocalBusiness schema markup on your website to make your information crystal clear to AI systems.
Audit your business information across major directories and fix any inconsistencies – AI models get confused when your hours or address differ across platforms. Create FAQ content that directly addresses common customer questions in natural language.
Set a monthly reminder to check how AI assistants represent your business. If you have multiple locations, consider a listings management solution to maintain consistency. Don’t forget to optimize your visual content with descriptive filenames and alt text – AI systems are increasingly “seeing” these images.
Finally, actively encourage and respond to customer reviews across platforms. These provide powerful signals that influence how AI models rank and recommend your business.
The businesses that will thrive in this new era aren’t necessarily the biggest – they’re the ones that understand where AI models get their information and take smart steps to ensure that information works in their favor. By implementing these strategies, you’ll be well-positioned to capture attention and customers in this evolving landscape.
Need a partner to steer these changes? At Rocket Launch Media, we’re helping businesses across Ohio not just adapt to AI search but leverage it for growth. We’re excited about the future of search – and we’d love to help you steer it in your favor.
