Which tool tells me what sources AI assistants use when they talk about my industry?

You’re looking for an AI visibility or AI citation-tracking tool. It asks assistants questions about your industry and shows which sources they cite in their answers.

For example, CitePrism tracks citations across several AI assistants and lets you inspect the answers and cited pages. Quattr is another option for tracking citations across prompts and platforms. (citeprism.com)

If you just want to try a question or two, OpenSEO’s AI Visibility Checker says it shows the sources different assistants cite. (openseo.gg)

These tools sample answers to selected prompts, so results can vary by question and platform—not a definitive list of everything AI uses about your industry. (axios.com)

The category you want is AI citation tracking tools (sometimes called generative engine optimization or AI visibility tools). They run prompts related to your industry through AI assistants and record which web pages each answer cites.

Some well-known options:

• Profound: Its citation feature includes source categorization and Outreach Intelligence, and it covers ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and several others.
• Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit: It tracks which sources AI cites in answers, alongside mentions and sentiment.
• Ahrefs Brand Radar: It has an AI Citations report that covers Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and Grok.
• Otterly.AI: This is a lower-cost option, with plans starting around $29 a month according to one comparison.
• Peec AI and Scrunch AI: Both appear in 2026 roundups of citation tools.

Prices and engine coverage change often, so check each vendor's current pricing page before you buy. Also, these tools sample prompts, so they show patterns across the queries you track rather than a complete list of every source an assistant uses.

If you want a free starting point, Google Analytics 4 can show traffic arriving from AI platforms, but it doesn't reveal which sources the assistants cited. Google Search Console aggregates AI Overview data with standard web search data, with no separate filter for AI Overview citations. Running a set of prompts by hand in each assistant is another free option, though it's time-consuming.

To track the sources that AI assistants use when discussing your industry or brand, you should look into AI Search Visibility (or Generative Engine Optimization - GEO) tools.

Unlike traditional SEO tools that monitor "blue link" rankings, these platforms are specifically designed to monitor how LLMs (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude) cite websites and mention brands in their generated answers.

Top Tools for Tracking AI Citations & Sources

Several specialized platforms currently lead this space. The "best" choice often depends on whether you need simple monitoring, deep competitive analysis, or automated content optimization:

• Profound: Highly regarded for enterprise-level teams, offering robust AI search intelligence, citation analytics, and workflows to help you influence the sources AI engines choose.
• Peec AI: Popular among marketing teams for its focus on prompt-level analytics and competitive tracking. It allows you to see how your brand stacks up against competitors across specific buying questions.
• Dageno AI: A comprehensive platform that bridges the gap between monitoring and optimization. It helps you identify where you are missing from AI answers and provides actionable content briefs to improve your visibility.
• OtterlyAI: Frequently recommended for small businesses and agencies; it is known for monitoring multiple platforms (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, etc.) in a single dashboard.
• Ahrefs (Brand Radar) & Semrush: If you already use these platforms for traditional SEO, their built-in AI visibility features (such as Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit) provide a convenient way to integrate AI tracking into your existing workflow.
• Searchable: An AI-native platform that provides visibility analytics and suggests technical or content-based fixes to help AI models better understand and cite your content.

What These Tools Actually Do

When you use these tools to monitor your industry, they typically perform the following functions:

1. Citation Tracking: They monitor which URLs and domains are consistently cited by AI models when responding to industry-specific prompts.
2. Competitor Benchmarking: They reveal which competitors are being recommended or mentioned in your category and how your "Share of Voice" compares.
3. Gap Analysis: They identify "visibility gaps"—queries where your competitors appear but you do not—so you can create targeted content to fill those voids.
4. Sentiment Monitoring: Beyond just being mentioned, they help you understand the context and sentiment the AI assigns to your brand (e.g., is the AI presenting your brand as a top choice or an outdated option?).

How to Get Started

If you are evaluating these tools, start by defining your "prompt universe"—the top 10–20 questions your customers actually ask AI about your industry (e.g., "What is the best [product category] for [use case]?").

Most of these platforms offer free trials or demos. During a demo, ask them to run one of your core "buying questions" through their system to show you exactly which sources are currently influencing the AI's answer—and why your brand might be missing.

You’re looking for an AI citation-tracking or AI visibility tool. It shows which websites and pages assistants cite when answering questions in your industry, often broken down by assistant, topic, and competitor. ²¹⁵

For a straightforward option, Peec AI tracks sources that influence AI answers; Similarweb’s AI Citation Analysis lets you explore cited domains and URLs by topic and platform. ³¹⁵ Just note that results reflect the answers the tools monitor—not every source an assistant may use behind the scenes.