Marketplace platforms overtake news media in automotive AI citations

Marketplace platforms have overtaken news publishers as the leading source of citations used by artificial intelligence platforms when answering automotive-related queries in Indonesia, according to a new study from Maverick Indonesia and GridOto.

The report, "AI citation sources in Indonesia's automotive industry 2026", found that marketplace platforms accounted for 31.5% of total citations generated by AI systems this year, surpassing news platforms, whose share declined to 29.7%. The findings highlight a growing shift in how AI platforms source information and how consumers increasingly discover and evaluate products through AI-generated responses.

The study analysed 50 automotive-related prompts across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overview, generating 1,800 AI responses and 19,796 citations across the 2025 and 2026 measurement periods.

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Overall, citations from earned media sources - encompassing both news and marketplace platforms - increased from 86.2% in 2025 to 90.7% in 2026.

Researchers said the trend reflects AI's evolution from a tool primarily focused on information retrieval to one increasingly involved in supporting consumer decision-making. As users seek guidance on vehicle purchases, AI platforms appear more likely to prioritise practical content such as product reviews, user experiences, feature comparisons, specifications and pricing information.

The study also noted a sharp rise in citations from social media platforms. YouTube's share of citations grew from just 0.75% in 2025 to 9.53% in 2026, underscoring the increasing influence of creator-led and video-based content within AI-generated recommendations.

AI rewards content that directly answers consumer questions

While news publishers remain an important source of information, the report suggests that AI systems are increasingly favouring structured and evergreen content that directly addresses user intent.

Content formats such as buying guides, in-depth reviews, comparison articles, product recommendations and vehicle rankings were found to have a greater likelihood of being cited by AI systems.

The report also highlighted the growing importance of publisher accessibility. News organisations that allow AI crawlers to access their content are generally better positioned to maintain visibility in AI-generated responses, while publishers that restrict access may see their share of citations decline.

Dian Gemiano, CMO of Kompas Group Media, said the rise of AI-powered search presents both risks and opportunities for publishers.

"Zero click is a nightmare for all website owners including digital publishers. However, behind this unprecedented challenge, there's an exciting opportunity because this is not just a trend, this is a big shift of consumer behaviour. Adapting to this change is an imperative action to sustain our business in the digital space," he said.

AI visibility emerges as a new marketing battleground

The findings also revealed distinct differences in how leading AI platforms source information.

According to the report, ChatGPT relies more heavily on automotive marketplace platforms, while Google AI Overview is increasingly drawing from social media and YouTube content. Perplexity was found to reference a broader mix of sources than its competitors.

The findings suggest that visibility in AI-generated responses can no longer be achieved through search engine optimisation (SEO) or media coverage alone. Instead, brands may need a more integrated communications strategy that ensures consistency across owned, earned and social channels.

Ong Hock Chuan, founder and managing partner of Maverick Indonesia, said brands must begin considering how AI systems evaluate and prioritise information.

"As communicators, it is important for us to understand how AI works because, ultimately, AI will cite the information that brands put into the public domain. One of the key lessons from this study is that AI tends to prioritise sources that publish consistent and aligned information," he said.

"If brands were previously competing primarily for SEO rankings or media exposure, we now need to rethink our communications strategies and focus more on the consumer by providing information that answers their questions. We now have to market to machines as well as humans."

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