Podqi Test Finds Risky Sites in 15% of Perplexity Answers

AI chatbots are recommending fake retail websites, study finds

Shoppers using AI chatbots to research products or find places to buy items could be directed to imposters and other risky websites, a new study found. The study conducted by IP protection firm Podqi and shared exclusively with The Verge prompted ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity with a handful of shopping-related questions involving a selection of […]

Podqi study finds ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity send shoppers to fake stores

Podqi analysed 6,795 answers about 151 brands and found 718 risky domains, 351 of them fake and 367 dead. Regional storefront questions were worst at 16%, and smaller brands faced roughly double the exposure of big names.

Podqi Test Finds Risky Sites in 15% of Perplexity Answers

The test found risky sites in 8% of ChatGPT answers and 4% of Gemini answers. It counted recommendations, bare listings and warnings.