A study by IP‑protection firm Podqi asked ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Perplexity for top shopping sites for 151 brands. All three chatbots sometimes suggested fake or dead websites that could trick shoppers. Gemini linked to risky sites in 4% of its 6,795 answers, ChatGPT in 8%, and Perplexity in 15%. The test covered brands from Lululemon to Le Creuset and ran over two periods in September.
Why it matters
Consumers using AI for holiday shopping may be led to fraudulent sites, so they need to verify links before entering personal or payment information.
