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llms.txt GeneratorDoes AI insert brand names that users never mentioned?
Yes. The model inserted brand names not present in the prompt in 15.24% of query rewrites, representing 1,756 queries out of 11,521 prompt-query pairs, which means it often jumps straight to likely market leaders before it searches.
The key numbers.
- Brand insertion rate
- 1,756 queries inserted brand names not in the prompt.
- 15.24%
- Prompt-query pairs
- Captured prompt-to-query transformations.
- 11,521
If your pages never mention the comparison set the model is likely to inject, your content can disappear from consideration before the retrieval phase even starts.
The evidence.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Brand insertion rate 1,756 queries inserted brand names not in the prompt. | 15.24% |
| Prompt-query pairs Captured prompt-to-query transformations. | 11,521 |
Population and method
Built from 11,521 captured prompt-to-query pairs observed in OpenAI web search calls, with 100% search-query coverage in the sampled dataset.
Where the evidence stops
This study reflects captured search-query transformations rather than every hidden retrieval step a model may perform.
Some inserted entities reflect category heuristics or market leaders rather than final recommendation outcomes.
The underlying dataset is concentrated in commercial and research prompts rather than all possible conversational traffic.
What to do with this
- Write for the query the model is likely to search, not just the wording a human might type first.
- Add current-year, format, and category framing where it genuinely helps the page answer the query.
- Make sure competitor and category language is present when the model is likely to inject it during retrieval.
Search operators must account for AI query rewriting in their content strategy because failing to include likely competitor or category names means losing visibility when the model automatically narrows a generic prompt to specific market leaders.
Questions about this answer.
Cite this answer.
Source study: Query Translation“Yes. The model inserted brand names not present in the prompt in 15.24% of query rewrites, representing 1,756 queries out of 11,521 prompt-query pairs, which means it often jumps straight to likely market leaders before it searches.”
Mack Grenfell · Does AI insert brand names that users never mentioned?
How AI Translates Your Questions · Trakkr Research · Updated 22 January 2026