Original Research on AI Search Visibility
Smart Money Media Original Research is a library of first-party studies measuring how generative engines — ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity — decide which companies to cite on buyer-intent prompts, and what earned-media signals actually shift those citations. Every study ships with raw row-level data, the full prompt list, and limitations, published under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0.
Built for reporters, analysts, and academics to cite, replicate, and challenge — not for marketing PDFs. Every study passes a 7-gate Original Study Protocol before publish.
Key Takeaways
- What it is: A library of first-party studies on AI search visibility and earned-media authority, run in-house by Smart Money Media.
- What it measures: How often ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity cite specific companies on real buyer-intent prompts — and which third-party signals move those citations.
- Wave 1 — The AI Citation Gap: 5,400 row-level engine responses, 15 prompts, 5 categories, 4 engines, n=3 runs per cell, with Wilson 95% confidence intervals.
- Headline finding: Funded B2B AI startups were cited ~10% of the time on category prompts; incumbents were cited ~34%.
- License: All studies and raw datasets are published under CC BY 4.0 — free to republish, quote, and re-run with attribution to Smart Money Media.
Our research standards
Raw data, always public
Every row-level response, prompt, and engine call is downloadable. No "trust us" aggregate-only PDFs.
7-gate protocol
Verified sampling frame, word-boundary measurement, real-user prompts, n≥3 with 95% CIs, red-team review before publish.
CC BY 4.0 licensed
Republish charts, quote findings, re-run the analysis. Attribution to Smart Money Media and a link back is all we ask.
Frequently asked
Who runs Smart Money Media research?
The Smart Money Media editorial team. Every study is designed, executed, and reviewed in-house, with raw datasets published under CC BY 4.0 so anyone can re-run the analysis.
Can I republish charts or quote findings?
Yes. All studies are licensed CC BY 4.0. Republish with attribution to Smart Money Media and a link back to the study page. Email contact@smartmoneymedia.org for high-resolution chart exports or interview requests.
How often do you publish new waves?
Wave 1 of The AI Citation Gap shipped May 30, 2026. New waves run quarterly, with frozen snapshots of every prior wave preserved for historical comparison.
What makes this different from typical PR-agency 'studies'?
Every Smart Money Media study passes a 7-gate Original Study Protocol: verified sampling frame, word-boundary measurement with ≥50 hand-labels, real-user prompts, n≥3 runs with confidence intervals, raw dataset published, Limitations above the fold, and a red-team review before publish.
Republishing & press
All Smart Money Media studies are published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Reporters, analysts, and academics are welcome to republish with attribution to Smart Money Media and a link back to the study page. Email contact@smartmoneymedia.org for high-resolution chart exports or interview requests.