A joint study by Press Ranger and OtterlyAI reveals that publishers with OpenAI licensing deals receive 48% more citations on ChatGPT, reshaping AI citation strategies for PR teams and publishers.
TL;DR
- Publishers with OpenAI deals earn 48% more citations on ChatGPT, according to a study by Press Ranger and OtterlyAI.
- The study analyzed 129.3 million citations across seven AI search platforms in June 2026.
- Niche and trade outlets, mostly unlicensed, dominate AI citations in 15 of 16 industries studied.
What happened
Press Ranger, an AI-first PR and press release distribution platform, and OtterlyAI, an AI search monitoring and optimization platform, released a joint data study on August 20, 2026. The study examined how AI licensing deals impact citations across seven AI search platforms, including ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity.
The study analyzed 129.3 million citations from June 2026, matching them against 91 confirmed licensing agreements between AI companies and publishers. It found that publishers with OpenAI deals earned 48% more citations on ChatGPT compared to those without such deals. This premium was even higher (112%) for publishers exclusively licensed to OpenAI.
The study also revealed that news citations are concentrated among a few top publishers, with Future plc, Forbes, People Inc., Condé Nast, and Hearst capturing 69% of all citations to licensed publishers. However, niche and trade outlets, mostly unlicensed, dominated AI citations in 15 of the 16 industries studied.
Why it matters
For PR teams and publishers, this study provides concrete evidence that OpenAI licensing deals significantly boost citations on ChatGPT. This insight can guide strategic decisions about licensing and content distribution.
The findings highlight that while OpenAI deals enhance visibility on ChatGPT, they do not guarantee widespread citation across all platforms. Publishers must consider a multi-faceted approach to maximize AI citation benefits.
The study also underscores the importance of niche and trade outlets, which are largely unlicensed but dominate AI citations in most industries. This presents an opportunity for PR teams to target these outlets for broader AI visibility.
Key facts
- The study analyzed 129.3 million citations across seven AI search platforms in June 2026.
- Publishers with OpenAI deals earned 48% more citations on ChatGPT, averaging 10.2 citations per page compared to 6.9 for unlicensed publishers.
- Exclusive OpenAI-licensed publishers earned 112% more citations per page on ChatGPT.
- News citations make up 7.2% of all AI citations, with top publishers capturing 69% of these citations.
- Niche and trade outlets, mostly unlicensed, dominated AI citations in 15 of 16 industries studied.
- The most-cited content types include best-of lists, buying guides, and product reviews, making up 46.9% of licensed publishers' citations.
- The study is available as an interactive dashboard, with a complete write-up from OtterlyAI and Press Ranger.
Context
The AI licensing landscape has been a topic of debate for the past three years, with publishers and PR teams questioning the impact of these deals on AI citations. This study provides the first concrete data to support these discussions.
The findings suggest that while OpenAI deals offer a significant advantage on ChatGPT, they are not the only path to AI visibility. Publishers and PR teams must diversify their strategies to include niche and trade outlets, which are currently underutilized but highly effective.
As AI search platforms continue to evolve, understanding the dynamics of AI citations will be crucial for publishers and PR teams looking to maximize their visibility and impact.
