Copp OakCopp Oak asked ChatGPT and Gemini the same 12 questions a homeowner in Myrtle Beach, SC, might ask about HVAC: who is best, who to call in an emergency, what it costs, who can come this week, and eight more. Each question went to each assistant once, in a fresh chat, between October 20 and October 28, 2026. The 24 answers named 27 different businesses.Sources: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23745742 (retrieved 2026-10-31)
The 6 businesses named most
| # | Business | Answers naming it (of 24) | ChatGPT (of 12) | Gemini (of 12) | Listed first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carolina Cool | 18 | 8 | 10 | 11 |
| 2 | One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning | 14 | 7 | 7 | 2 |
| 3 | Shore Air Conditioning & Heating | 12 | 8 | 4 | 0 |
| 4 | Swift Services Heating, Cooling & Electrical | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| 5 | Coastal Air Plus | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | First Choice Heating & Air | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
Both assistants named Carolina Cool and One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning in at least half of their 12 answers each. Carolina Cool was listed first most often among them: 11 of 24 answers.Sources: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23745742 (retrieved 2026-10-31)
Did the answers offer a way to book?
2 of 24 answers offered a booking path or named a connector (ChatGPT 2 of 12, Gemini 0 of 12). The other 22 offered neither a booking path nor a connector. Across the full study, 79.1% of sampled ChatGPT/Gemini answers offered neither a booking path nor a connector.Sources: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23745742 (retrieved 2026-10-31)