In a recent LinkedIn post, Ann Smarty discusses a notable trend observed in the latest ChatGPT models regarding their citation of user-generated content (UGC). As a seasoned observer of digital marketing and AI, Smarty shared her findings, which suggest a divergence in how these advanced AI models interact with UGC across different market sectors.
Smarty’s investigation, which included Semrush searches, points to a significant impact on the consumer sector. She highlights a decrease in citations for platforms commonly associated with consumer-generated content.
“Every study out there (as well as my personal observations I shared earlier) confirms that the latest ChatGPT models are not citing UGC that much.”
Analysis of Sectoral Citation Trends
Ann Smarty’s research indicates a specific pattern when examining citation rates across various online platforms. Her findings suggest that while some platforms are seeing a decline in citations from ChatGPT, others are experiencing a rise.
Consumer vs. B2B Impact
According to Ann Smarty, the impact of this trend is not uniform. She points out that the consumer sector appears to be more affected than the business-to-business (B2B) sector. Smarty breaks down her observations by platform:
- Reddit: Down in citations
- Youtube: Down in citations
- Linkedin: Up in citations
This observation about LinkedIn, in particular, caught Smarty’s attention, as indicated by her playful interjection: “(I mean…)”. This suggests an element of surprise or perhaps a counter-intuitive finding for a platform that is a primary hub for professional B2B interactions and content.
“I ran some Semrush searches, and it looks like this impacts the consumer sector more than it impacts the B2B sector.”
Seeking Further Insights and Validation
Ann Smarty is not presenting these findings as definitive conclusions but rather as observations requiring further discussion and validation. She actively seeks input from her network to confirm or challenge her findings, emphasizing the dynamic nature of AI development and its interaction with online content.
“Are you seeing the same? Or is this somewhat skewed? The timeframes seem a little off here.”
As Ann Smarty notes, the nuances of AI citation practices are complex and can be influenced by various factors, including the specific training data used by the models and the evolving landscape of online content generation. Her call for community input underscores the importance of collaborative observation in understanding these rapidly changing technological trends. The potential implications for content creators, marketers, and businesses across different sectors are significant, prompting a closer look at how UGC is being processed and referenced by leading AI technologies.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Ann Smarty on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on September 13, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →