Average AI Visibility Score by Industry 2026
One of the most common questions from brands beginning their GEO journey is simple: "What is a good AI visibility score for my industry?" Until now, answering that question required guesswork. This report provides definitive benchmarks, drawing on Presenc AI's monitoring data from 2,847 brands across 15 industry verticals. Every brand in the dataset has been continuously monitored for at least 90 days, ensuring stable score calculations.
AI visibility scores are calculated on a 0-100 scale using Presenc AI's composite methodology, which weights six factors: Knowledge Presence, Semantic Authority, Citation Frequency, Contextual Integrity, Share of Voice, and Recommendation Rate. The benchmarks below reflect Q1 2026 data.
Key Findings
- The cross-industry median AI visibility score is 49/100, indicating that the average brand has significant room for improvement in AI discoverability.
- SaaS/Technology leads with a median of 63, while Construction/Real Estate trails at 31. The 32-point gap between top and bottom industries reflects dramatic differences in content maturity and digital presence.
- Top-quartile brands in every industry score at least 55. Even in low-scoring verticals like Construction (31 median), top performers reach 52+, proving that GEO success is achievable regardless of industry starting point.
- The 75th-to-90th percentile gap is the steepest. Moving from "good" to "great" requires disproportionate investment, suggesting diminishing returns above the 80th percentile for most brands.
- Industries with strong content marketing traditions score 18-24 points higher than industries that rely primarily on sales-led go-to-market motions.
AI Visibility Score Benchmarks by Industry
| Industry | 10th %ile | 25th %ile | Median | 75th %ile | 90th %ile | Top 5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS / Technology | 28 | 42 | 63 | 78 | 87 | 93 |
| Cybersecurity | 26 | 40 | 60 | 76 | 85 | 91 |
| Media / Publishing | 25 | 39 | 59 | 74 | 83 | 89 |
| Financial Services | 22 | 35 | 56 | 72 | 82 | 88 |
| Education / EdTech | 23 | 36 | 54 | 71 | 81 | 87 |
| E-commerce / Retail | 21 | 34 | 52 | 69 | 79 | 86 |
| Healthcare / Pharma | 18 | 30 | 49 | 66 | 77 | 84 |
| Travel / Hospitality | 17 | 29 | 47 | 64 | 75 | 82 |
| Professional Services | 16 | 27 | 45 | 62 | 73 | 80 |
| Automotive | 15 | 26 | 43 | 60 | 72 | 79 |
| Consumer Goods / CPG | 14 | 25 | 41 | 58 | 70 | 77 |
| Energy / Utilities | 12 | 22 | 38 | 54 | 66 | 74 |
| Manufacturing / Industrial | 11 | 21 | 37 | 53 | 65 | 73 |
| Logistics / Supply Chain | 10 | 19 | 34 | 50 | 62 | 71 |
| Construction / Real Estate | 8 | 17 | 31 | 47 | 59 | 68 |
What "Good" Looks Like per Industry
Defining "good" depends on your competitive context. The following table provides target ranges based on competitive positioning goals.
| Industry | Minimum Viable (top half) | Competitive (top quartile) | Leader (top 10%) | Dominant (top 5%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SaaS / Technology | 63+ | 78+ | 87+ | 93+ |
| Financial Services | 56+ | 72+ | 82+ | 88+ |
| Healthcare / Pharma | 49+ | 66+ | 77+ | 84+ |
| E-commerce / Retail | 52+ | 69+ | 79+ | 86+ |
| Professional Services | 45+ | 62+ | 73+ | 80+ |
| Manufacturing / Industrial | 37+ | 53+ | 65+ | 73+ |
| Construction / Real Estate | 31+ | 47+ | 59+ | 68+ |
Score Distribution Analysis
Across all industries, the distribution of AI visibility scores follows a right-skewed pattern. The majority of brands cluster between the 25th and 65th percentile, with a long tail of high performers pulling the distribution upward. This shape means that moderate improvements — moving from the 40th to the 60th percentile — are achievable with focused GEO effort over 3-6 months. The jump from the 75th to the 90th percentile requires significantly more investment and typically takes 9-18 months of sustained optimization.
Industries with higher median scores also tend to have wider spreads between top and bottom performers. In SaaS/Technology, the 10th-to-90th percentile spread is 59 points (28 to 87). In Construction/Real Estate, the spread is 51 points (8 to 59). This wider spread in high-scoring industries reflects a more competitive GEO landscape where early movers have established significant advantages.
Methodology
Scores are based on Presenc AI monitoring data from 2,847 brands across 15 verticals as of Q1 2026. Each brand has been continuously monitored for a minimum of 90 days across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot. The composite score weights six factors: Knowledge Presence (20%), Semantic Authority (18%), Citation Frequency (18%), Contextual Integrity (16%), Share of Voice (14%), and Recommendation Rate (14%). Industry classifications follow standard SIC codes with Presenc AI-specific sub-industry mapping. Percentiles are calculated within each industry vertical independently. Benchmarks are refreshed quarterly.
How Presenc AI Helps
These benchmarks are built into every Presenc AI dashboard. When you run a brand audit or monitor your brand on an ongoing basis, your AI visibility score is automatically compared against your industry percentile. You can see exactly where you rank, which factors are above or below industry median, and which improvements would move you to the next percentile band. Start with a free brand audit to get your score and industry ranking instantly.