Treble Report: Nearly Half of Enterprise Buyers Now Start Vendor Research with AI, Ahead of Google Search

AUSTIN, Texas & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 25, 2026--

Treble, the preeminent earned media B2B technology public relations agency, today released its Press-to-Pipeline Activation in the Age of AI report, revealing that AI assistants have overtaken Google Search as the No. 1 research tool for enterprise technology buyers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260225021844/en/

The report found that 47% of buyers now start vendor research with AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini, ahead of Google Search (43%), vendor websites (42%) and trade publications (40%). Once in evaluation mode, 93% use AI to summarize or compare vendors.

The implications are significant. AI does not generate credibility; it aggregates it, drawing from earned media, analyst reports and third-party validation. Companies without consistent, recent coverage risk becoming invisible in AI-generated comparisons before a salesperson ever enters the conversation.

“Every press release, media mention, analyst report and byline is now training data for the AI tools buyers use to build their shortlists,” said Matt Grant, executive vice president at Treble. “PR has always been about shaping perception. What’s changed is that the perception is now shaped by an algorithm that draws on earned media. The companies that understand this are the ones showing up when a potential customer asks ChatGPT to compare vendors in their space.”

Furthermore, the findings underscore that recent earned media plays a direct and measurable role in shaping vendor credibility and shortlists:

The report makes clear that AI assistants are no longer just research tools, but credibility filters that summarize third-party consensus when buyers ask for vendor comparisons. Repeated coverage signals authority, while a lack of coverage signals irrelevance.

Click here to view the full report, or request a free AI Visibility & Earned Media Readiness Assessment by contacting newbiz@treblepr.com.

The report was prepared in partnership with Censuswide, based on a survey of 300 CIOs, CISOs, CTOs, VPs and Directors in Retail, Finance, Healthcare, Industrial/Manufacturing and Telecommunications. Fieldwork was conducted December 4-9, 2025.

FAQ

How are enterprise buyers using AI in vendor research?

Nearly half begin with AI assistants instead of search engines, and 93% use AI to summarize and compare vendors during evaluation. ChatGPT and Google Gemini are the dominant platforms at 66% usage each.

Why does earned media matter more in an AI-driven buying process?

AI tools draw from third-party sources, including earned media, analyst reports and customer proof, to generate vendor summaries. Buyers trust these AI-generated summaries more than vendors’ own website claims, making the quality and recency of earned media a direct input to the pipeline.

How recent does media coverage need to be to influence buying decisions?

Over 9 in 10 buyers say coverage from the past 90 days is important. Product reviews, analyst mentions and thought leadership published in the past quarter carry significantly more weight than older coverage in vendor credibility assessments.

About Treble

Treble is the preeminent earned media B2B technology public relations agency, specializing in helping companies at every growth stage—from early-stage startups to enterprise organizations. Working with venture capital firms and their portfolio companies, Treble has helped 31 companies achieve successful exits. Treble provides comprehensive solutions for clients, including earned media, analyst relations and thought leadership programs. Recent industry recognition includes being named a Top PR Agency by Ragan Communications and PR Daily, winning Agency of the Year from the Business Intelligence Group and ranking among the top companies on the Inc. 5000 Regionals Southwest list. Visit us at treblepr.com or on LinkedIn.

Treble's Press-to-Pipeline Activation in the Age of AI Report

ISTANBUL (AP) — A Turkish cargo ship with 10 crew aboard sank Wednesday after a collision with a tanker off Istanbul, Turkish authorities said.

A lifeboat and other debris belonging to the Tugberk Imamoglu have been found but there is no sign of the crew, the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said in a statement.

“There are 10 seafarers on board, including the captain,” Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said. “They are all Turkish. We can say that the sinking occurred rapidly in 11 minutes. No one has been found alive.”

Two helicopters and 12 search and rescue vessels are searching the area.

The ship collided with the Turkish-flagged tanker Alsu in the Marmara Sea at 3 a.m., the statement said. An emergency signal was received from the Tugberk Imamoglu and the first rescue craft reached the site 4:10 a.m.

The vessel, which was carrying rolled steel, collided with the Alsu about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Silivri, a western suburb of Turkey’s largest city.

“It is assessed that the Tugberk İmamoglu vessel sank because it did not respond to any calls and the mobile phones of the personnel on board went unanswered,” the maritime directorate said.

The 90-meter (295-foot) cargo ship was traveling from Turkey’s Mediterranean post of Iskenderun to Eregli in the Black Sea. The 91-meter (298-foot) Alsu is an oil or chemical tanker sailing from Kocaeli, east of Istanbul, to Aliaga on the Aegean coast, according to the Marine Traffic website.

The rescue operation comes as Turkish naval units are helping search for a passenger ferry that sank off the coast of Cyprus on Sunday. Eight people died when the Filo Jet sank and 20 remain missing.

The Turkish Straits, comprised of the Bosphorus Strait and Dardanelles Strait at either end of the Marmara Sea, are among the busiest shipping lanes in the world, with hundreds of thousands of vessels transiting between the Mediterranean and Black Seas each year.

FILE - People sit in front of cargo ships anchor in the Marmara Sea await to cross the Bosphorus Straits in Istanbul, Turkey, on July 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Khalil Hamra, File)