“Where should I go for brunch in Surry Hills?” More and more people type that into ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI answers instead of scrolling a list. A 2026 study of 1,736 Australians by the Australian Centre for AI in Marketing found 39% had already used AI to help choose a brand, product or service. In the US, where it is tracked more closely, BrightLocal found 45% of consumers used AI for local recommendations, up from just 6% the year before. Australia tends to follow the same path.
The good news: AI does not pick at random. It reads what is out there about you.
What AI reads
- Your website. Especially your menu, hours and location.
- Your Google Business Profile. Hours, photos, category and posts.
- Your reviews. How many, how recent, and what people say.
- Mentions. Local guides, food creators, Reddit threads and social posts.
Your AI checklist
- Put your menu on your website as text, not just a PDF or a photo.
- Make your details match everywhere: name, address, phone and hours.
- Keep reviews coming. Ask happy guests, and reply to every review, good or bad.
- Answer the common questions on your site: bookings, dietaries, parking, kids, dogs, delivery.
- Get talked about. A local creator's video or a blog mention gives AI more to go on.
Try this week
Ask ChatGPT for the best spot for your type of food in your suburb. See if you come up, and fix anything it gets wrong about you.