Adding "2026" to a product question changes the websites ChatGPT cites in 96.3% of answers, against 82.2% when the same question is asked twice. The year pulls in more roundup publishers and changes the top recommended product 65.4% of the time.
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 6,992 ChatGPT answers to 500 product questions · ChatGPT with web search, September 2026
Source: Suff Digital analysis of 6,992 ChatGPT answers to 500 product questions · ChatGPT with web search, September 2026
Source: Adding '2026' to a Question Changes ChatGPT's Sources 96.3% of the Time - Suff Digital