In July 2026, we analyzed 3,210 ChatGPT recommendations across eight media and entertainment categories to compile the EMARKETER AI Visibility Index. This index tracks how often brands are mentioned and how they rank against competitors. This is the first edition for media and entertainment, covering audiobooks, cable TV, digital news subscriptions, gaming subscriptions, live TV streaming, music streaming, on-demand video streaming, and podcasts.

Apple led the media and entertainment leaderboard by ranking well in half of the categories. It placed No. 1 overall with an 18% mention rate, even though it didn’t lead any of the index's eight categories. It came in at No. 2 in podcasts and music streaming—its highest rank—and was in four of the eight category top fives, twice as many as any other brand.

Xbox and Spotify turned their categories into one-brand races. Xbox appeared in 95% of gaming subscription answers, the highest mention rate in the index, and it led PlayStation by 32 percentage points, the widest gap between the leader and runner-up across the eight categories. Spotify came close in music streaming: a 93% mention rate and a 30-percentage-point lead over Apple.

Free streaming services beat video's biggest subscription brand. Tubi led on-demand video streaming with a 43% mention rate, outranking runner-up Netflix (35%). Free ad-supported services took three of the category's five top spots, with Pluto TV at No. 3 and Plex at No. 4.

Podcasts produced the tightest race in the index. Pocket Casts (79%) narrowly led Apple (78%) and Spotify (74%), making podcasts the only category with three brands above 70%.

A British weekly led the digital news category. The Economist led digital news subscriptions with a 44% mention rate, 16 percentage points ahead of The New York Times (28%). Digital news was also the index's lowest-rated category, with fifth-place Bloomberg at 21%, the lowest top-five mention rate of the eight categories.

About EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index

Our AI Visibility Index is based on a structured analysis of ChatGPT recommendations. Upcoming reports and articles will also include Google Gemini. Each query uses standardized prompts (e.g., “best free on-demand video streaming service” or “music streaming service for new releases”) spanning product type, attributes, consumer needs, target audience, and price tier. Prompts are built with EMARKETER analysts and researchers and are validated with search volume, so every brand is measured against the same benchmark.

Want a closer look at the AI Visibility Index? EMARKETER PRO subscribers can access in-depth reports featuring further category breakouts, data cuts, and analysis, while PRO+ subscribers can access the complete data set, including monthly updates across every category cut, in the live dashboard.

To learn more about how EMARKETER’s AI Visibility Index can help your brand, including advisory insights that pinpoint what’s shaping your visibility, visit our AI Visibility Index hub.