Analysis of 20M Leads Reveals how AI Search is Driving Customer Discovery

CallRail's landmark analysis quantifies how large language models (LLMs) are reshaping the customer buyer's journey

ATLANTA, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AI-driven customer discovery has moved beyond prediction and into measurable reality. New research from CallRail, the AI-powered lead engagement platform, reveals that AI search tools powered by large language models (LLMs) are already impacting which businesses consumers choose to contact. Based on an analysis of nearly 20 million inbound leads, the report provides the first large-scale evidence that LLMs like ChatGPT and Perplexity are reshaping the path to purchase for small and mid-sized businesses.

To help brands navigate these implications for discovery and lead generation, CallRail is the first to offer LLM-driven attribution to its customer base. By providing model-specific visibility into platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, CallRail ensures businesses are better positioned to capture high-intent leads and understand which AI models are driving customers to their business. The ability to attribute leads from LLMs is more critical than ever with the recent announcement that ChatGPT will soon introduce paid ads into the chat experience.

Across all industries, 0.073% of inbound calls now originate from AI search. While that percentage may seem small, at scale it represents millions of new, high-intent leads and an early signal of a major shift in consumer behavior.

"Understanding how AI search, and how it differs across platforms, is driving leads for your business will be critical over the long term in shaping how your brand shows up and drives revenue," CallRail CEO Marc Ginsberg explained. "Our platform provides marketers with the visibility to make data-driven decisions to ensure they can make the changes now to ensure long term success with this new, and very powerful marketing channel."

CallRail's data reveals that consumers in specific industries are gravitating toward certain AI assistants at much higher rates than others.

• ChatGPT: ChatGPT is the clear leader for general inquiries (90.1%), but it generates a higher proportion of leads for sectors where consumers look for immediate, direct options, like Healthcare and Automotive.
• Perplexity: While its total volume is smaller (6.3%), Perplexity has become a powerhouse for high-consideration industries. Travel & Hospitality and Manufacturing see nearly one in ten AI leads coming from Perplexity - a rate nearly ten times higher than in other sectors.
• Gemini: Google's Gemini (representing 2.4% of volume) is gaining ground in Manufacturing and Business Services, where users likely rely on its integration with broader Google workspace data and technical search.
• Claude: Although representing the smallest volume of leads (1.2%), in Marketing Agencies and Real Estate firms, where consumers are often researching more nuanced, long-form service descriptions, Claude is carving out a niche.

"What we are seeing from our CallRail attribution reports is the collapse of the sales funnel as we know it," expressed Will Troup, CEO of LocalSink, a CallRail agency partner. "It's forcing us to rethink the buyer's journey as AI-directed callers have higher sales intent and move faster when compared to traditional inbound leads. With LLMs fast becoming the go-to, having visibility into how AI demand at the top of the funnel translates to revenue will be key to ensuring success."

To access the full report — "What 20M calls reveal about the future of customer discovery" — and find recommendations to maintain a competitive advantage in today's AI search, visit: https://www.callrail.com/blog/20m-calls-reveal-future-of-customer-discovery.

About CallRail
CallRail is the lead engagement platform that makes it easy for businesses to attract more leads, convert more customers, and optimize their marketing. Serving more than 225,000 businesses worldwide, CallRail's AI-powered solutions help businesses attribute each call, text, chat and form to their marketing journey, use insights from their conversations to better understand their buyers, and eliminate missed opportunities with AI that can handle lead interactions 24/7.

CallRail has grown from the G2 top-rated inbound call tracking solution to include Form Tracking, Conversation Intelligence^®, Premium Conversation Intelligence™, Convert Assist and Voice Assist. CallRail's award-winning platform integrates with dozens of leading marketing and sales software, and offers affiliate, agency, and technology partnership opportunities, helping businesses earn, grow, and build with CallRail. For more information, visit http://www.callrail.com.

SOURCE CallRail