Why do the companies introduced by AI change depending on how the question is asked?
AI conducts multiple searches behind a single question to gather information and create an answer. Changes in the phrasing or conditions of the question can alter the searches conducted and the information referenced, which may result in different companies being introduced in the answer.
How does AI conduct searches behind the questions?
AI generates multiple related search terms based on the received question and combines the search results to create an answer. This mechanism is called Query Fan-Out (QFO).
Queue Inc. analyzed 35,482 questions entered into the free QFO analysis tool of umoren.ai (from February 5 to May 27, 2026, ChatGPT and Gemini). The analysis showed that up to 33 searches were conducted for a single question. For more details on the study, please see Queue Inc.'s Query Fan-Out Study.
Why do the companies introduced change when the phrasing changes?
AI determines the search terms based on the content of the question, so even for the same topic, changes in phrasing or conditions can alter the searches conducted and the information sources obtained. As a result, the companies or explanations introduced in the answer may change.
The same study showed a tendency for AI to conduct more searches as the questions become more detailed. In ChatGPT, questions with more than 80 characters resulted in about twice as many searches compared to short questions with less than 30 characters. The study analyzed that the more specific the conditions such as budget, region, and purpose are written, the more AI separates and searches for each condition.
Note that even the same question may not always yield the same answer. The reasons for this are introduced in the Explanation of AI Search Mechanism.
What should I do if my company appears or does not appear depending on the question?
It is important not to judge based on a single phrasing, but to check how AI conducts searches and which information it references for multiple questions that potential customers might ask. Since potential customers may add conditions such as budget, region, and purpose to their questions, it is also important to confirm whether information corresponding to those conditions is publicly available.
The approach when only competitors are introduced is explained in Reasons Why AI Introduces Only Competitors. You can first check how your company is viewed in AI searches with the free current status analysis report from umoren.ai. The list of questions used for the analysis and the content of the searches (QFO) conducted by AI will be delivered in Excel within 24 hours of application.