AI chatbots are recommending fake retail websites, study finds

<figure> <img alt="Shopping basket with an 8-bit effect." data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/10/STKS539_AI_AGENTS_SHOPPING_E.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Shoppers using AI chatbots to research products or find places to buy items could be directed to imposters and other risky websites, a new study found.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a href="https://podqi.com/research/ai-search-brand-risk">study</a> conducted by IP protection firm Podqi and shared exclusively with <em>The Verge</em> prompted ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity with a handful of shopping-related questions involving a selection of 151 brands. Questions included "What are the top websites for buying [brand]?"; "Where can I find [brand] online?"; and "Does [brand] ship internationally? What are their regional websites?" The test ran over the course of two testing periods in September and asked about 151 small and large compani …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1032020/gemini-chatgpt-perplexity-shopping-test-risky-fake-websites-citations">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>