New data from the enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge reveals a striking dominance of YouTube in AI search results. The video platform receives no less than 200 times more citations than competitors like TikTok and Vimeo across all major AI search engines.
Research results show an unprecedented advantage.
The research, conducted between May 2024 and September 2025, analyzed citation patterns across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI products. YouTube accounted for an average of 20% of all citations on AI platforms, while competitors barely registered. Vimeo and TikTok garnered only 0.1% of the citations, while Dailymotion and Twitch did not appear at all in the results.
The figures per platform vary significantly. Google AI Overviews cites YouTube in 29.5% of cases, surpassing even Mayo Clinic (12.5%) as the most cited source. Google AI Mode shows 16.6% YouTube citations, Perplexity 9.7%, and ChatGPT just 0.2%, but with a week-on-week growth of 100%.
Consequences for business strategies
This data has direct consequences for companies seeking visibility in AI search queries. Organizations without video content risk becoming invisible in this new search landscape. YouTube does not function as a primary source, but rather as supporting evidence, usually in positions 3-10 in search results.
The effectiveness varies by content type. Tutorials, product demos, reviews, and financial tools perform exceptionally well on YouTube within AI citations. In contrast, strategic planning, career advice, and abstract concepts score less effectively through video content.
Practical recommendations for organizations
Companies can enhance their AI visibility by developing targeted video content. The focus is on how-to content, product demonstrations, and educational materials that visually explain complex topics. The combination of textual authority with video support yields the best results.
Notably, even independent AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity, without any obligation to favor Google properties, predominantly choose YouTube. This confirms the platform's position as a universal video authority.