AI Overviews vs ChatGPT vs Perplexity: Platform Comparison

AI search isn’t a single channel. It’s a collection of distinct platforms with different user behaviors, different strengths, and different optimization requirements.

Brands optimizing for one platform while ignoring others leave market share on the table. Understanding the differences enables smarter resource allocation.

The Split Market: Conversational vs. Overlay

According to Scrunch research examining 100,000 unique users across 7.6 million AI search sessions over three months, two primary AI search methods compete for user attention:

Conversational agents: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity—dedicated AI platforms users visit specifically for AI-powered search and dialogue.

Generative overlays: Google AI Overviews (and similar)—AI-generated answers that appear within traditional search results.

Neither dominates decisively. The research found generative overlays held a slight overall edge, but preferences varied significantly by category.

Category-Specific Preferences

User preference between AI types varies substantially by industry and task type.

Finance

Overlay preference: 58% vs 42% in favor of Google AI Overviews

Shopping and comparison tasks in finance strongly favored AI Overviews. Users comparing credit cards, researching mortgage rates, or evaluating investment options preferred answers integrated with search.

Implication: Finance brands should prioritize Google AI Overview optimization while maintaining conversational AI presence.

Healthcare

Mixed preference with conversational agents showing strength for detailed research.

Exploratory research and detailed information queries leaned toward conversational agents. Users seeking to understand conditions, treatment options, or health information engaged more deeply with dialogue-based AI.

Implication: Healthcare content should serve both channels—quick answers for AI Overviews, comprehensive dialogue-ready content for conversational agents.

Ecommerce

Context-dependent preferences:

Discount codes and product shopping → AI Overviews
Niche items (like greeting cards) → Conversational agents

Users with clear purchase intent used AI Overviews. Users with more exploratory or unusual needs preferred conversational AI.

Implication: Ecommerce brands need presence across both channels, with different content optimized for each context.

Education

Strongest agent preference: 62% vs 38% in favor of conversational agents

Educational AI tools showed the strongest preference for conversational agents. Users learning or exploring topics preferred dialogue-based interaction.

Implication: Education brands should prioritize conversational AI optimization.

Software

Near parity overall (52% vs 48% for overlays), but AI-specific tools showed:

61% vs 39% preference for conversational agents

When users searched for AI-related software specifically, they strongly preferred using AI platforms rather than traditional search with AI overlay.

Implication: Software brands, especially those in AI-adjacent categories, should emphasize conversational AI presence.

Platform Characteristics

Understanding each platform’s characteristics helps optimize effectively.

Google AI Overviews

Strengths:

Massive reach (appears for significant portion of Google searches)
Integrated with existing search behavior
Users don’t need to adopt new platform
Strong for commercial/transactional queries

Characteristics:

Pulls from Google’s index
Traditional SEO factors still relevant
Topical authority influences inclusion
Structured data can help
Citations appear below answers

Optimization priority: Traditional SEO + structured data + passage-level clarity

ChatGPT

Strengths:

Largest dedicated AI user base
Strong for research and exploration
Deep dialogue capabilities
Memory and personalization

Characteristics:

Uses Bing for web retrieval when browsing enabled
Significant response variability
Lower click-through rate than traditional search
Strong for comparison and evaluation queries

Optimization priority: Entity clarity + quotable content + third-party corroboration

Perplexity

Strengths:

Consistently displays sources and citations
Strong for research with source verification
Growing user base, especially among researchers
Higher citation click-through than ChatGPT

Characteristics:

High response variability despite citations
Strong retrieval and source display
Good for content that wants traffic, not just mentions

Optimization priority: Citation-worthy content + authoritative sources + current information

Claude

Strengths:

Professional and enterprise use cases
Thoughtful, nuanced responses
Growing adoption in business contexts

Characteristics:

More conservative with recommendations
Consistent substance, variable formatting
Emphasizes balanced perspectives

Optimization priority: Authoritative content + comprehensive coverage + professional presentation

The Channel-Switching Reality

A critical insight from the research: “users can jump between AI search modes within a single search session.”

Someone might:

Start with a Google search
See AI Overview, want more detail
Open ChatGPT for deeper exploration
Return to Google for specific product search
Check Perplexity for source verification

This behavior means visibility on only one platform leaves gaps in the user journey.

Strategic Implications

Don’t Optimize for One Channel Only

The research’s central message: “optimizing for one channel while neglecting the other results in lost market share.”

Brands focusing exclusively on ChatGPT miss AI Overview traffic. Brands focusing only on Google miss conversational AI users.

Multi-platform visibility should be the goal.

Match Content to Channel Strengths

Different content types suit different channels:

Content Type	Best Channel	Reason
Quick comparisons	AI Overviews	Integrated with search flow
Deep research	ChatGPT, Claude	Dialogue enables exploration
Source-verified info	Perplexity	Sources always displayed
Commercial transactions	AI Overviews	Purchase intent users
Learning/education	ChatGPT, Claude	Interactive explanation

Optimize each content type for its natural channel.

Resource Allocation by Category

Based on research findings, consider category-specific prioritization:

Industry	Primary Focus	Secondary Focus
Finance	AI Overviews	ChatGPT
Healthcare	Both equally	-
Ecommerce	AI Overviews	Perplexity
Education	ChatGPT/Claude	AI Overviews
Software	ChatGPT	AI Overviews

These aren’t exclusive—you need presence everywhere—but help prioritize where resources are limited.

Maintain SEO Fundamentals

A consistent finding: AI retrieval relies on similar factors to traditional search ranking.

The research emphasizes brands should “maintain SEO fundamentals, as AI retrieval relies on similar ranking factors.”

Strong traditional SEO creates the foundation that AI systems build on. Don’t abandon it for GEO.

Ensure Technical Accessibility

Website accessibility for AI crawling affects all platforms:

GPTBot access for ChatGPT
Standard crawlers for Google AI
PerplexityBot for Perplexity
General crawler access for all

Technical barriers that block one platform likely affect others.

Measurement Across Platforms

Multi-platform strategy requires multi-platform measurement.

Track Each Platform Separately

Each platform has different:

Response consistency
User behavior patterns
Optimization factors
Success metrics

Combine data for overall picture, but analyze platforms individually.

Unified Query Set, Platform-Specific Insights

Use the same target query set across platforms for comparability, but recognize:

ChatGPT visibility of 50% and Perplexity visibility of 50% mean different things
Platform consistency affects confidence in measurements
Traffic attribution differs by platform

Watch Cross-Platform Patterns

Look for patterns across platforms:

Gains on one platform but not others may indicate platform-specific factors
Universal gains suggest broader authority improvements
Divergent trends warrant investigation

The Combined Opportunity

Total AI search visibility is larger than any single platform suggests.

When you sum:

Google AI Overview visibility
ChatGPT mentions
Perplexity citations
Claude recommendations

The combined opportunity exceeds what single-platform focus reveals. Multi-platform strategy captures the full market.

RivalHound monitors your brand across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI platforms. Start your free trial to see your complete AI visibility picture.