Study finds some FL manufacturers fail to appear in AI-generated supplier recommendations despite significant market presence. While buyers and procurement teams increasingly use AI platforms to identify potential suppliers, many established manufacturers are failing to appear in AI search results.

TAMPA, Fla., June 25, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A new report found that Florida manufacturers may be facing a new competitive challenge. While buyers and procurement teams increasingly use AI platforms to identify potential suppliers, many established manufacturers are failing to appear in AI search results.

The Florida Manufacturing AI Visibility Report analyzed how ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity respond when asked supplier-procurement questions about Florida manufacturers. The study, conducted by Evoke Strategy, a Florida-based marketing firm, found that AI-generated recommendations were heavily concentrated among a relatively small group of manufacturers, while several sizable manufacturers failed to appear at all.

The report examined 70 questions a buyer might ask when researching manufacturers across four major AI platforms, generating 280 AI responses and 877 mentions of manufacturers and industry organizations.

Among the study's most notable findings:

• 10 companies and organizations accounted for 57.7% of all mentions surfaced by AI platforms.
• Twelve manufacturers reviewed within the target categories did not appear at all.
• Those omitted companies represented approximately $8 billion in combined estimated revenue.
• Two omitted companies exceeded $2 billion in estimated revenue, while five exceeded $500 million.

The findings suggest that traditional search assumptions may no longer hold in an AI-assisted buying environment.

"Manufacturing is a critical piece of Florida's economic development and historically it tends to be a legacy-based sector. We wanted to see how these factors played into the quickly changing nature of the digital search process, and ultimately how this will affect reach and procurement within these companies," said Devon Vocke, co-founder, Evoke Strategy. "The findings support what we suspected, that there is a massive opportunity for manufacturers to improve their AI search capabilities to reach those partners and vendors that are so important to their businesses."

Manufacturing remains a major contributor to Florida's economy. Florida ranks among the nation's leading states for manufacturing employment, and the sector contributes approximately $86 billion annually to the state's GDP.

AI Is Changing How Buyers Research Suppliers

According to the report, AI-assisted sourcing increasingly begins with capability-based questions rather than branded searches. Procurement teams, distributors, analysts, and economic development professionals often ask AI platforms for recommendations based on products, certifications, manufacturing capabilities, locations, or supplier categories.

Companies that are not clearly associated with those topics may never enter the buyer's initial consideration set.

Size Does Not Guarantee Visibility

The study found that company size alone did not guarantee visibility. While many manufacturers have invested heavily in facilities, operations, and production capacity, AI systems frequently relied on publicly available category signals, technical descriptions, third-party references, and structured information to determine which organizations to surface.

Different AI Platforms Produce Different Results

The report also found significant differences among major AI platforms. Perplexity surfaced the broadest set of unique organizations, while ChatGPT produced the most concentrated recommendation patterns. Gemini and Claude fell between those extremes, reinforcing the idea that AI visibility is not a single ranking but a platform-dependent outcome.

Next Steps

As the AI landscape continues to evolve into a key search tool, manufacturers should begin treating AI visibility as part of their broader market visibility strategy.

"The issue isn't whether AI can answer questions about your company after someone searches your name," said Vocke. "The question is whether buyers encounter your company during the research process. Increasingly, that process is now happening inside AI platforms."

The report also recommends that manufacturers audit how they appear in buyer research queries, strengthen category and capability descriptions, improve publicly accessible technical information, and expand third-party validation sources that help AI systems understand their relevance.

For more information or to request a copy of The Florida Manufacturing AI Visibility Report, visit evokestrategy.com.

About Evoke Strategy

Evoke Strategy is a Florida-based marketing firm founded more than a decade ago. Evoke helps manufacturers and B2B organizations improve market visibility, strategic communications, public relations, and buyer research in an increasingly AI-influenced business environment. Learn more at www.evokestrategy.com.

Media Contact
Elizabeth Vocke, Evoke Strategy, 1 813-240-0791, elizabeth@evokestrategy.com, www.evokestrategy.com

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SOURCE Evoke Strategy