--- title: "AI Local Business Accuracy: 14.4% of '24/7' Claims Are Wrong" url: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong description: "AI local business accuracy slips on hours: 14.4% of businesses ChatGPT or Gemini call open 24/7 do not list those hours on Google. See the data." lang: en --- Share Share on X: https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fai-business-hours-wrong&text=When%20AI%20Says%20a%20Business%20Is%20Open%2024%2F7%2C%20It%27s%20Wrong%2014.4%25%20of%20the%20Time Share on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fai-business-hours-wrong Share on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fai-business-hours-wrong Share on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.suffdigital.com%2Fresources%2Fdata-studies%2Fai-business-hours-wrong&title=When%20AI%20Says%20a%20Business%20Is%20Open%2024%2F7%2C%20It%27s%20Wrong%2014.4%25%20of%20the%20Time **14.4%** of the local businesses ChatGPT or Gemini describe as open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on their own Google Business Profile. Phone numbers hold up better but not perfectly: 1.4% of ChatGPT's local business listings show a number that does not match Google, rising to 3.9% for emergency plumbers. Analysis of 513 AI claims that a local business is open 24/7 and 7,623 ChatGPT business listings, in 79 US cities · ChatGPT and Gemini answers and Google Business Profiles, September 2026 ## Key Findings 1. 1. **14.4%** of the local businesses ChatGPT or Gemini describe as open 24/7 do not list 24-hour opening on all seven days on their Google Business Profile. Copy stat 2. 2. **17.5%** of the veterinarians AI assistants call open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on Google, the highest rate of any service, about one in six. Copy stat 3. 3. Emergency plumbers account for **212** of the 513 AI claims that a local business is open 24/7, more than any other service, and 11.3% of those claims are wrong. Copy stat 4. 4. **1.4%** of the local business listings in ChatGPT answers show a phone number that does not match the business's Google Business Profile, about one listing in 70. Copy stat 5. 5. **3.9%** of the emergency plumbers ChatGPT lists show a phone number that does not match Google, nearly three times the 1.4% average, against none of the restaurants. Copy stat 6. 6. In smaller US cities, **34.5%** of the plumbers ChatGPT names as 24/7 emergency plumbers do not list 24-hour hours on Google, against 10.1% in large cities. Copy stat 7. 7. In smaller US cities, **2.1%** of ChatGPT's local business listings show a phone number that does not match Google, against 1.5% in large cities. Copy stat ## Summary A homeowner is locked out at 2 a.m. and asks ChatGPT for a 24-hour locksmith nearby. The answer names three, each "available 24/7", each with a phone number ready to tap. The homeowner taps the first one and gets a recorded message with opening hours; on the business's own Google listing, it closes in the evening. Another night, a basement is flooding, and the number shown for an emergency plumber reaches a disconnected line or a different company. That is the moment AI answers are trusted most: late at night, in a hurry, with no time to check. A wrong "open 24/7" costs the searcher time when it matters, and it costs the business a frustrated caller who blames it, not the AI. A wrong phone number is worse: the business ChatGPT recommended never hears about the job at all. **14.4%** of the businesses ChatGPT or Gemini describe as open 24/7 do not list 24-hour opening on all seven days on Google, rising to 17.5% for veterinarians and 16.9% for locksmiths. Phone numbers are right far more often, with 1.4% of ChatGPT's listings showing a number that does not match Google, but the misses cluster in the same emergency trades, and both kinds of error are worse in smaller cities. ## What we measured On September 23 and 24, 2026 we asked ChatGPT and Gemini for the best local businesses in 20 services, from plumbers and locksmiths to gyms and veterinarians, across 79 US cities: 50 large cities and 29 smaller ones. We looked up the 10,000 businesses they recommended on Google Business Profiles, 8,338 named by ChatGPT and 1,662 by Gemini. A business counts as an AI 24/7 claim when the answer names it on the same line as "24/7", "24 hours" or "around the clock"; 513 of those businesses have a Google Business Profile with posted hours. ChatGPT answers these questions with a list of business listings, each showing a name, address and phone number, and we matched 7,623 of those listings to the business's Google Business Profile. A Google Business Profile is the free listing a business controls on Google Search and Maps, including its weekly opening hours and phone number. If the profile does not show the business open from midnight to midnight on all seven days, the AI's 24/7 claim counts as wrong. When the number in ChatGPT's answer differs from the number on the business's own Google profile, it counts as a wrong number. ## One in seven 24/7 claims does not hold up 14.4% of businesses AI describes as open 24/7 don't list 24-hour opening on Google. That is 74 of the 513 businesses AI assistants called open around the clock. Every one of the 513 has an operating Google Business Profile, so these are real, working businesses. The problem is the hours: the profile shows set opening times on at least one day, while the AI answer promised round-the-clock service. AI assistants build these answers from what they find about a business across the web: its website, directory listings, reviews and ads. A business that once offered 24-hour service, that advertises "24/7 emergency calls" on one page while posting set hours on Google, or that appears on a "24-hour locksmiths" list, can end up described as always open. The AI repeats the most confident version it finds. ## Vets and locksmiths are the riskiest Among services with at least 36 claims, veterinarians have the highest error rate: 17.5% of the vets AI calls open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on Google. Locksmiths follow at 16.9% and gyms at 14.7%. These are services people often need at night, which is exactly when a wrong answer does the most harm. AI 24/7 claims not backed by Google hours by service Veterinarian 17.5% Locksmith 16.9% Gym 14.7% Electrician 13.9% Plumber 12.4% Emergency plumber 11.3% HVAC company 10% Source: Suff Digital analysis of 513 AI claims that a local business is open 24/7 and 7,623 ChatGPT business listings, in 79 US cities · ChatGPT and Gemini answers and Google Business Profiles, September 2026 HVAC companies have the lowest rate at 10%, still one wrong claim in ten. Trades that advertise emergency callouts heavily, such as locksmiths and vets, leave the most room for an AI to turn "emergency service" into "open 24/7". ## Emergency plumbers draw the most 24/7 claims Emergency plumbers are the service AI assistants most often call open around the clock: 212 of the 513 claims, followed by plumbers with 97 and locksmiths with 83. 11.3% of the emergency plumbers AI calls open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on Google, a lower rate than vets or locksmiths, but across the largest number of claims. The picture changes when the question itself asks for round-the-clock service. We also asked ChatGPT for the best 24/7 emergency plumbers in each of the 79 cities: 18.3% of the plumbers it named do not list 24-hour opening on all seven days on Google. That rate is higher than the 11.3% above because it covers every plumber named in answer to a 24/7 question, not only the ones the answer itself calls open around the clock. ## One ChatGPT listing in 70 has the wrong phone number 1.4% of ChatGPT's local business listings show a phone number that doesn't match Google. That is 105 of 7,623 listings. ChatGPT shows a list of businesses with contact details in 95.1% of local answers, so for most local questions a phone number sits right in the answer, one tap away, and 0.4% of listings show no phone at all. The misses are not spread evenly: emergency plumbers have the highest mismatch rate at 3.9%, followed by moving companies at 3.5%, plumbers at 2.9%, HVAC companies at 2.7% and roofers at 2.5%. Restaurants had no mismatches at all. Listings with a phone number that doesn't match Google by service Emergency plumber 3.9% Moving company 3.5% Plumber 2.9% HVAC company 2.7% Roofer 2.5% Locksmith 2.4% Electrician 2.3% Personal injury lawyer 1.8% Dentist 0.8% Veterinarian 0.7% House cleaning service 0.6% Real estate agent 0.5% Chiropractor 0.5% Accountant 0.2% Restaurant 0% The top of the list is the home-service trades, where businesses often run several phone numbers: call-tracking numbers for ads, separate lines for emergencies, and numbers for each service area. Every extra number is another chance for ChatGPT to pick up one that does not match Google. Restaurants and offices usually have one fixed line at one address, and ChatGPT gets it right. ## Smaller cities get less reliable answers City size matters for both hours and phone numbers. In the 29 smaller cities, 34.5% of ChatGPT's 24/7 emergency plumber picks do not list 24-hour hours on Google, against 10.1% in the 50 large cities, a gap of more than three times. ChatGPT's listings for businesses in smaller cities also show a phone number that does not match Google 2.1% of the time, against 1.5% in large cities. 50 large cities 24/7 emergency plumber picks without 24-hour hours on Google 10.1% Listings with a phone number that doesn't match Google 1.5% | Measure | 50 large cities | 29 smaller cities | | --- | --- | --- | | 24/7 emergency plumber picks without 24-hour hours on Google | 10.1% | 34.5% | | Listings with a phone number that doesn't match Google | 1.5% | 2.1% | Smaller cities have fewer plumbers to choose from, and an answer asked for round-the-clock service still fills out its list, in smaller cities often with businesses that keep regular hours. For a business owner, an old number or old hours left on a directory or an outdated page is the likeliest way to end up misdescribed. ## What this means for local businesses Your Google Business Profile is effectively the source AI assistants are checked against, so start there. If you offer 24/7 service, set your Google hours to open 24 hours on all seven days, and make every public listing say the same thing: your website, Yelp, Facebook and the directories in your trade. Check that the phone number on your profile is the one you want customers to call. If you are not open 24/7, find out what AI says about you. Ask ChatGPT and Gemini for the best businesses in your service and city, read what they write about your hours, and tap the number shown for you. If they overstate your hours, remove "24/7" wording from old pages, ads and directory listings, and state plainly on your website when after-hours help is by phone only or by appointment. If you use call tracking, pick one primary number for your Google profile, website contact page and directories, and keep tracking numbers on ads and landing pages. Suff Digital's local seo packages (https://www.suffdigital.com/seo/local-seo-services) keep your hours, phone number and details consistent across Google, your website and the directories AI assistants read. ## Embed this research Paste this on your site to embed the charts. It links back to the source automatically.

Source: When AI Says a Business Is Open 24/7, It's Wrong 14.4% of the Time - Suff Digital

## Cite this study APA Suff Digital. (2026). When AI Says a Business Is Open 24/7, It's Wrong 14.4% of the Time. https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong Plain link When AI Says a Business Is Open 24/7, It's Wrong 14.4% of the Time - Suff Digital - https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong ## Frequently asked questions ### How often do AI assistants get business hours wrong? ### Which services have the most wrong 24/7 claims from AI? ### Can I trust AI when it says an emergency plumber is open 24/7? ### How accurate are ChatGPT's business phone numbers? ### Which businesses does ChatGPT give the wrong number for most often? ## Related studies - AI SEO Closed for Business: One in 383 AI Local Recommendations Has Shut Down: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-recommends-closed-businesses - AI SEO AI Recommends a Business Outside the City You Asked About 17.4% of the Time: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-recommends-business-wrong-city - AI SEO ChatGPT Returns a List of Business Cards for 95.1% of Local Questions: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/chatgpt-local-business-cards - AI SEO 88.4% of the Local Businesses ChatGPT Recommends Aren't in Google's Map Pack: https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/chatgpt-picks-vs-google-map-pack ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization", "name": "Suff Digital", "alternateName": "Suff Digital Marketing", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "contentUrl": "https://www.suffdigital.com/logo.png", "caption": "Suff Digital" }, "image": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#logo" }, "description": "Suff Digital is a full-stack digital marketing agency that turns websites into predictable revenue engines, SEO, paid media, content, CRO, and web design built around revenue, not vanity metrics.", "slogan": "Digital marketing built for what's next.", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "foundingDate": "2022", "founder": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matt Suffoletto", "jobTitle": "Founder & CEO" }, "contactPoint": [ { "@type": "ContactPoint", "telephone": "+1-629-236-0099", "email": "hello@suffdigital.com", "contactType": "sales", "areaServed": "US", "availableLanguage": [ "en" ] } ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "addressLocality": "Nashville", "addressRegion": "TN", "postalCode": "37219", "addressCountry": "US" }, "areaServed": { "@type": "Country", "name": "United States" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.linkedin.com/company/suff-digital/", "https://www.instagram.com/suffdigital/", "https://www.youtube.com/@suffdigitalmarketing", "https://www.tiktok.com/@suffdigital" ], "knowsAbout": [ "Search Engine Optimization", "Pay-Per-Click Advertising", "Paid Social Advertising", "Conversion Rate Optimization", "Web Design", "Digital PR", "Link Building", "Website Migration", "Website Maintenance and Support", "Technical SEO", "Local SEO", "AI Search Optimization" ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Suff Digital Services", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Search Engine Optimization (SEO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/ppc" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Paid Social Advertising", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/paid-social" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO)", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/cro" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Web Design", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/web-design" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Digital PR & Link Building", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/digital-pr" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Migration", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-migration" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Website Maintenance & Support", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/services/website-maintenance" } } ] } }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#website", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/", "name": "Suff Digital", "inLanguage": "en-US", "publisher": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Article", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong#article", "headline": "When AI Says a Business Is Open 24/7, It's Wrong 14.4% of the Time", "description": "14.4% of the local businesses ChatGPT or Gemini describe as open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on their own Google Business Profile. 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Phone numbers hold up better but not perfectly: 1.4% of ChatGPT's local business listings show a number that does not match Google, rising to 3.9% for emergency plumbers.", "url": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong", "creator": { "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/#organization" }, "datePublished": "2026-09-24", "dateModified": "2026-09-24", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "isAccessibleForFree": true, "measurementTechnique": "ChatGPT and Gemini answers; Google Business Profile hours and phone numbers" }, { "@type": "FAQPage", "@id": "https://www.suffdigital.com/resources/data-studies/ai-business-hours-wrong#faq", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How often do AI assistants get business hours wrong?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "14.4% of the local businesses ChatGPT or Gemini describe as open 24/7 do not list 24-hour opening on all seven days on their Google Business Profile (September 2026)." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which services have the most wrong 24/7 claims from AI?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Veterinarians, where 17.5% of the vets AI calls open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on Google, followed by locksmiths at 16.9% and gyms at 14.7%." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I trust AI when it says an emergency plumber is open 24/7?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Usually, but not always. 11.3% of the emergency plumbers AI assistants call open 24/7 do not list round-the-clock hours on their Google Business Profile, and in smaller cities 34.5% of ChatGPT's 24/7 emergency plumber picks do not list 24-hour hours on Google." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How accurate are ChatGPT's business phone numbers?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "1.4% of the local business listings in ChatGPT answers show a phone number that does not match the business's Google Business Profile, about one in 70." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Which businesses does ChatGPT give the wrong number for most often?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Emergency plumbers, where 3.9% of ChatGPT's listings show a phone number that does not match Google, followed by moving companies at 3.5% and plumbers at 2.9%. Restaurants had none." } } ] } ] } ] ```