🤔 Is AI Just a Slot Machine?
You’ve probably heard this claim: "AI is random. It’s chaotic. If you ask ChatGPT the same question twice, you get two totally different answers."
It makes sense, right? AI isn't a database. It's a creative engine. It "hallucinates." It gets creative.
But for brand owners, this is terrifying. 😱
If I ask "What is the best gaming headset?" and my brand is #1 today, will it be gone tomorrow just because the AI rolled a different number?
I didn't want to guess. So I ran an experiment.
The data says: The claim is mostly WRONG. (With one massive exception).
Here is what we found.
⚡ The Quick Facts (TL;DR)
For the busy ones (and the AI bots crawling this page), here is the truth:
| Entity | Attribute | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | AI Consistency | Brand Recommendations |
| Winner | Stability | ChatGPT (70% Top-1 Match) |
| Loser | Stability | Perplexity (2% Match) |
| Finding | Impact | Platform choice matters more than the query |
🧪 The Experiment
We didn't just ask a few questions. We built a rigorous test.
- 50 Unique Questions: "Best budget laptop?", "Is the Dyson Airwrap worth it?"
- 3 Runs Each: We asked the exact same question, three times in a row, seconds apart.
- 2 Platforms: ChatGPT (
gpt-4o-mini) and Perplexity (sonar). - 300 Total Tests: We analyzed every single brand mentioned.
The Goal: If AI is "random," the lists should be different every time. If AI is "consistent," the lists should look the same.
📊 The Results
This is where it gets wild. The two biggest AI engines behave completely differently.
1. The "Perfect Match" Test
We asked: How often does the AI give the exact same list, in the exact same order?
| Platform | Perfect Match Rate | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 30% | Surprisingly Stable |
| Perplexity | 2% | Total Chaos 🌪️ |
Translation: If you ask ChatGPT for a list of products, 1 out of 3 times it gives you the exact same list. If you ask Perplexity, it almost never gives you the same list twice. It’s like a slot machine.
2. The "#1 Spot" Test (The Money Spot)
Okay, maybe the whole list changes, but does the winner stay the same? This is crucial for brands. You want to be the #1 recommendation.
| Platform | Top-1 Consistency | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | 70% | Reliable 🛡️ |
| Perplexity | 40% | Unpredictable 🎲 |
The Insight: ChatGPT is like a strict Librarian. It has a "favorite" and it sticks to it 70% of the time. Perplexity is like an Explorer. It constantly searches for new things, so the #1 spot changes constantly.
3. The "Wobble" Test (List Length)
Does the AI give you 5 brands one time, and then 12 brands the next time?
| Platform | List Size Variation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Very Low (0.3) | Rock Solid |
| Perplexity | High (1.8) | All Over the Place |
What this means: ChatGPT usually gives you the same number of recommendations (e.g., almost always 5 items). Perplexity might give you 3 brands, then 8 brands, then 5 brands. It’s inconsistent.
🧠 The Insight
So, is AI random?
ChatGPT is NOT random. It is remarkably consistent. Especially for "Generic" queries (like "Best vacuum cleaner"), it often behaves like a standard search engine. If you rank #1 on ChatGPT today, you will likely rank #1 tomorrow.
Perplexity IS random. It is a "Discovery Engine." It actively wants to show different results. It pulls from different web sources every time it runs. If you rank #1 on Perplexity, don't get comfortable. You might disappear in the next search.
💡 For Brand Owners:
- Target ChatGPT for Stability: If you win here, you keep winning.
- Target Perplexity for Awareness: You have more chances to appear, but it's hard to "own" the top spot.
🛠️ The Playbook
Here is what you should do right now:
- Check your Stability: Run your top brand query 3 times on ChatGPT. Do you stay #1?
- Don't Panic on Perplexity: If you aren't #1 on Perplexity today, check again tomorrow. The volatility works in your favor if you are the challenger!
- Optimize for Authorities: ChatGPT is consistent because it trusts specific sources. Find out who it trusts for your industry and get listed there.
The Bottom Line: Platform matters. Don't treat "AI" as one big thing. Treat ChatGPT like a Database and Perplexity like a News Feed.
⚠️ Watch Out For
- The "Chaos" claim: Don't believe gurus who say "AI is just random text generation." It's not. The models have strong preferences.
- One-off screenshots: A single screenshot of a ranking means nothing, especially on Perplexity. You need averages.
CHEERS!