AnswerManiac

Getting things ready

AnswerManiac

Getting things ready

All Reports
Q2 2026 — The Original Study

State of AI Search: B2B SaaS

The first comprehensive analysis of AI search visibility across B2B SaaS companies.

100
Companies
84
Queries
2
AI Engines
3
Verticals

Overview

We tested 84 buyer-intent queries across ChatGPT (GPT-4o) and Perplexity (Sonar Pro) to see which of 100 B2B SaaS companies actually get recommended when prospects search for solutions. The results revealed a stark divide: 47 companies were cited at least once, while 53 were completely invisible to AI search. HR Tech emerged as the most competitive vertical, with companies like BambooHR and Rippling dominating recommendations.

Key Findings

53% of B2B SaaS companies are completely invisible to AI search engines

HR Tech is the most competitive vertical — only the top players get cited

Only 22 companies appear on both ChatGPT and Perplexity

Perplexity tends to cite more companies per query than ChatGPT

Companies with strong authority signals (Wikipedia, G2, analyst coverage) dominate citations

Many well-funded SaaS companies are invisible despite large marketing budgets

47
Cited at least once
53
Invisible to AI
22
On both engines

Top 5 Companies by Citations

1
BambooHR28
2
Rippling25
3
Gusto22
4
Workday20
5
ADP19

Engine Breakdown

ChatGPT GPT-4o and Perplexity Sonar Pro tested across 84 unique buyer-intent queries covering HR Tech, Fintech, and general B2B SaaS categories.

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Quick Stats

VerticalB2B SaaS (HR Tech, Fintech, General)
Companies Analyzed100
Queries Tested84
Cited at Least Once47
On Both Engines22

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