Research & Insights

What we're researching and thinking about.

Proprietary research and essays on AEO, AI visibility, and how brands actually show up inside ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude.

Research reports

Proprietary data, free to download.

Essays & playbooks

Notes from the field.

AI is the new brand discovery engine and 83% of Indian consumers are already using It
Research9 min

AI is the new brand discovery engine and 83% of Indian consumers are already using It

83.2% of Indian consumers are open to AI-recommended brands. New data shows declining reliance on Google Search, Amazon, and review sites as AI reshapes the discovery funnel.

29 April 2026
Voice, video and vernacular: how Indian consumers actually interact with AI
Research8 min

Voice, video and vernacular: how Indian consumers actually interact with AI

New data from 1,000+ urban Indian respondents reveals how consumers use voice, multimodal AI, and regional languages. 60% use voice at least sometimes, but Hindi AI satisfaction lags English.

28 April 2026
India’s AI adoption has hit a tipping point. Here’s what 1,000 users told us
Research7 min

India’s AI adoption has hit a tipping point. Here’s what 1,000 users told us

90.9% of urban Indians now use AI tools, with 72.3% using them regularly. Northstar Digital’s consumer research of 1,000+ respondents reveals the scale, speed, and shape of India’s AI adoption wave.

27 April 2026
ChatGPT vs Gemini: inside the two-horse race defining India’s AI landscape
Research8 min

ChatGPT vs Gemini: inside the two-horse race defining India’s AI landscape

ChatGPT leads India’s AI market at 80.3% adoption and 46.4% primary use. But Google Gemini is closing fast at 78.8%. Northstar Digital’s research reveals platform dynamics reshaping India’s digital landscape.

27 April 2026
The trust economy: why citations are the new currency in AI-powered search
Research9 min

The trust economy: why citations are the new currency in AI-powered search

79.2% of Indian users trust AI answers more when well-known sources are cited. Northstar Digital’s research reveals how citations are reshaping search behavior and AI credibility.

27 April 2026
Voice, vernacular and AI: how India’s next 500 million users will interact with technology
Research6 min

Voice, vernacular and AI: how India’s next 500 million users will interact with technology

60% of Indian AI users already interact via voice, and 59% have tried regional languages. Northstar Digital research maps the voice-first, multilingual future of AI adoption in India.

24 April 2026
Only 17% full trust AI
Research9 min

India’s AI trust deficit: why privacy and accuracy concerns are a brand opportunity

62% of Indian AI users cite privacy as their top concern, and only 17% fully trust AI outputs. Northstar Digital’s research reveals how brands can convert India’s AI trust gap into competitive advantage

23 April 2026
ChatGPT vs Gemini: inside India’s fragmented AI platform landscape
Research8 min

ChatGPT vs Gemini: inside India’s fragmented AI platform landscape

With 80% using ChatGPT and 79% using Gemini, India’s AI market is a two-horse race with a long tail. Northstar Digital research reveals why brands must optimize across multiple AI engines.

22 April 2026
63% of Indian Consumers Have Purchased Based on AI Recommendations
Research6 min

63% of Indian Consumers Have Purchased Based on AI Recommendations: The New Commerce Funnel

Northstar Digital research shows 63% of urban Indians have made purchases based on AI recommendations. How AI is collapsing the traditional marketing funnel and what it means for brand strategy.

21 April 2026
AI is India's new search engine: what 74% adoption means for brands
Research7 min

AI is India's new search engine: what 74% adoption means for brands

74.1% of urban Indian consumers now use AI tools instead of Google for answers. Northstar Digital's April 2026 research shows AI has become India's default search layer — and what brands must do to stay visible.

20 April 2026