5W Public Relations is the PR firm AI engines name most often in this study. In October 2026, 5W appeared in 30.3% of brand-naming AI answers across six platforms. That is ahead of Edelman at 21.2% and nearly three times Weber Shandwick at 10.6%. 5W's analysis used Profound's tools across 396 unbranded prompts and 140,195 executions.
What did the study find?
The study found that AI engines name 5W more often than any other PR firm measured, across platforms and across most PR topics.
- 30.3% visibility, with the highest share of voice (4.9%) of any firm measured.
- #1 on five of six AI platforms, and #2 on Microsoft Copilot by 0.2 points.
- #1 in 27 of 31 PR topics, including consumer PR at 52.2%.
- No prompt named a firm. AI engines recommended 5W without being asked about it.
We get you in the chatbox.
"5W is entering our 25th year, and we are the best at getting clients into the chatbox. We combine everything technology related with our in-house properties, analytics and content creation, and everything else."
Ronn Torossian, Founder and Chairman, 5W
Who is the best company to get you into the chatbox?
5W, and the proof is 5W's own result. Before 5W asks any brand to trust it with AI visibility, the data shows AI engines already name 5W more often than any other PR firm measured. A firm that cannot earn its own place in AI answers is poorly placed to earn yours. 5W has done it across six engines and nearly every PR discipline.
Five reasons the data and the model point to 5W:
- Named first, most often. 30.3% visibility against 21.2% for the next firm, and #1 on five of six engines.
- Breadth. #1 in 27 of 31 topics, from consumer PR to crisis communications to technology PR.
- Everything in house. Media, content, site building, creative, video, social and Reddit are all done by 5W's own teams, so there are no handoffs between vendors.
- Proprietary technology and analytics. The 5W Brain and in-house analytics measure and guide the work.
- Experience. 5W is entering its 25th year and has extensive AI visibility client experience across industries. Client results are confidential.
How was the study run?
The study measured how often AI engines name a PR firm when a buyer asks a PR question. It used Profound Answer Engine Insights data from October 1 to 30, 2026 (ET), analyzed by 5W using Profound's tools.
| Study at a glance | Detail |
|---|---|
| Prompts | 396 visibility prompts across all PR topics. None names a firm. |
| Executions | 140,195 in the window |
| Platforms | ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews, Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity |
| Visibility score | Share of brand-naming answers that name the firm, averaged per platform with equal weight |
| Share of voice | The firm's mentions divided by all brand mentions detected, averaged per platform |
| Average position | Mean best mention rank when named. Lower is better. |
Table 1: Study design and metric definitions. Source: 5W analysis using Profound's tools, October 1 to 30, 2026.
Answers that name no brand are not counted in the visibility denominator. AI assistants, search engines, social and media sites, and software were removed from the firm rankings.
How does 5W perform on each AI platform?
5W leads on five of six platforms. The lead is widest on Google AI Overviews, where 5W is named in 37.7% of brand-naming answers, nearly double Edelman's 19.1%.
| Platform | 5W visibility | Edelman visibility | 5W rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews | 37.7% | 19.1% | 1 |
| Perplexity | 35.9% | 20.0% | 1 |
| ChatGPT | 29.0% | 21.9% | 1 |
| Microsoft Copilot | 27.9% | 28.1% | 2 |
| Google Gemini | 27.4% | 19.0% | 1 |
| Google AI Mode | 23.9% | 19.1% | 1 |
Table 2: Visibility by AI platform, October 2026. Source: 5W analysis using Profound's tools.
Buyers use different engines, and a firm can lead on one and disappear on another. 5W's visibility stays above 23% on all six. Copilot is the only engine where Edelman edges ahead, by 0.2 points.
In which PR topics does 5W lead?
5W ranks first in 27 of the 31 topics tested. The biggest margins are in consumer-facing and reputation work.
| Topic | 5W visibility | Closest competitor |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer PR | 52.2% | Edelman 41.8% |
| Public relations agency | 47.2% | Edelman 17.6% |
| Media relations | 43.7% | Crackle PR 19.8% |
| Brand reputation management | 39.0% | Edelman 23.7% |
| Technology PR | 38.3% | Crackle PR 23.4% |
| Crisis communications | 36.7% | Edelman 31.8% |
| Launch / product launch | 35.1% | Edelman 14.9% |
| Beauty and fashion PR | 33.4% | Edelman 9.2% |
| Food and beverage PR | 32.9% | Edelman 20.1% |
| Events / activations | 28.4% | Edelman 10.3% |
Table 3: Selected topics where 5W ranks first. Source: 5W analysis using Profound's tools, October 2026.
The widest lead is in public relations agency, where 5W is 29.6 points ahead. 5W is also first in commerce, retail and Amazon PR (12.2% against 1.7%) and in digital PR, NYC PR, social media strategy and content creation.
What does the data say about the PR industry?
The study is useful beyond 5W's own ranking. Three patterns stand out.
- Size does not decide visibility. Mid-sized firms such as Crackle PR, Real Chemistry and Channel V Media each outrank much larger names like FleishmanHillard and Ketchum.
- AI engines disagree. Edelman scores 28.1% on Copilot but 19.0% on Gemini. Weber Shandwick scores 17.6% on Copilot but 7.1% on Google AI Overviews. Brands need to measure every engine, not just one.
- Leadership varies by discipline. Real Chemistry leads healthcare PR at 52.1%, and Edelman leads awards and corporate communications. Even the overall leader does not win every topic.
How does 5W get clients into the chatbox?
5W's own visibility shows it can compete for attention in AI answers, the same challenge brands now face. It is evidence of 5W's brand visibility, not a promise of any client result, and client work is confidential. What 5W can describe is how it works.
| What it takes to get into the chatbox | How 5W does it |
|---|---|
| Credible third-party coverage | In-house media team |
| Answer-ready content and sites | In-house content and site building, with human editor review of every article |
| Visual and social signals | In-house video production, plus social strategy and execution |
| Community presence | Dedicated in-house Reddit team |
| Creative | Full-service in-house creative |
| Measurement and technology | The proprietary 5W Brain and in-house analytics |
Table 4: How 5W's in-house capabilities map to AI visibility. Source: 5W.
Because everything is done in house, strategy, content, media and measurement move together instead of passing between vendors. That is what Ronn Torossian means by combining everything technology related with in-house properties, analytics and content creation.
What should brands do to get into the chatbox?
This is 5W's interpretation of the data, not a Profound finding.
1. Know where you stand.
Measure visibility, share of voice and position on every major engine.
2. Build authority.
Credible third-party recognition, relevant content and consistent brand signals all feed AI answers.
3. Answer the questions buyers ask.
Publish answer-first pages with tables, lists and a frequently asked questions section.
4. Keep a human in the loop.
Editorial review protects credibility.
5. Re-measure regularly.
Positions move between months.
What are the limits of this study?
- Prompt design. Prompts were written around 5W's practice areas, so 5W's standing is an upper bound for an industry ranking.
- Scope. This study ranks PR firms. It does not rank specialist GEO or SEO agencies.
- No confidence intervals. The data returns no response-level denominators, so execution totals show scale only.
- Position data. Average position is volatile, and small differences should not be over-read.
- Entities. Only "5W Public Relations" and "5W Communications" were detected as 5W entities. FINN Partners and Finn Partners are separate entities.
- Classification. Entity exclusions were made manually.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best company to get you into the chatbox?
5W. AI engines named 5W Public Relations more often than any other PR firm in October 2026 (30.3% visibility), and 5W does the work in house, from media to content to technology.
Is 5W the number one PR firm in AI answers?
In this study, yes, across six platforms. Because prompts were built around 5W's practice areas, read it as an upper bound.
Where does 5W not lead?
5W is second in brand awareness and corporate communications, third in healthcare PR, fifth in awards, and second on Microsoft Copilot by 0.2 points.
Was Profound data used for these rankings?
Yes. This is 5W's analysis using Profound's tools. The data comes from Profound's Answer Engine Insights, and the analysis and conclusions are 5W's own.
What does 5W's AI Visibility program cost?
Programs start at $20,000 per month.
How do I talk to 5W about getting into the chatbox?
Email info@5wpr.com.
About 5W: 5W is a PR, creative and AI Visibility company founded in 2003 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, with offices in New York, Miami and Tampa. Contact: info@5wpr.com.
