Beyond ChatGPT and Gemini: Which LLMs Should Your Brand Measure? (2026)

Besides ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, there are other models with their own access channels: Grok inside X, Meta AI inside WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, the open models Qwen and DeepSeek, and Mistral with its Le Chat assistant.

This post is the map: what each one is, who uses it, how it finds information and which ones are worth your attention depending on your business. The idea is not to optimize five times, but to know where your buyer is.

Why look beyond ChatGPT and Gemini

Open weights. Llama, Qwen and DeepSeek publish open-weights versions: depending on the version and its license, other companies can build them into their products. They do not live only in their official apps, but also inside assistants, support chatbots and third-party tools. In those products, what the model knows depends on its training and on the sources each integrator connects to it.

Different access channels. Each model reaches people through different routes: WhatsApp and Instagram for Meta AI, Alibaba services for Qwen, Le Chat and the API for Mistral, X for Grok.

What to measure. At a minimum, it is worth knowing what the models your audience demonstrably uses say about you.

Grok (xAI): real time and the X conversation

Grok is xAI's model, integrated directly into X and also available as an app and API.

Its distinctive trait is how it finds information: it can combine X posts with web search and return citations from both sources. It is the assistant with built-in access to X's public conversation.

Where it is used: inside X and in its app. Implication for your brand: what is posted about you on X is one of the sources Grok can use. If your category is discussed on X (B2B tech, finance, media), review what is said on the platform.

Meta AI on Llama: the assistant inside WhatsApp

Meta AI is Meta's assistant, built on the Llama models and integrated into WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook and Messenger. Mark Zuckerberg said in May 2025 that Meta AI had one billion monthly active users across Meta's apps.

Why it matters for consumer brands: WhatsApp is one of the most used messaging apps in many markets, including Latin America, Spain and India. Your B2C customer has Meta AI inside the chat they already use, with nothing to install.

In addition, Llama has open-weights versions that are integrated into third-party products. Implication: if you sell B2C, local or mass-market products in markets where WhatsApp is common, check what Meta AI answers about your category. Especially relevant for ecommerce and online brands.

DeepSeek and Qwen: China's open models

DeepSeek and Qwen (from Alibaba) publish open-weights versions that developers can download and integrate according to their license. Qwen is integrated into Alibaba services, including its commerce ecosystem.

Where they appear: in their own apps and inside third-party tools that integrate them. Implication: if your audience uses those apps or tools, these models can show up in products your buyer uses even if they have no well-known app in your country. It is relevant ground for SaaS and technology.

Mistral: the European alternative

Mistral is a French company with the Le Chat assistant. It positions itself on data sovereignty: GDPR compliance, data residency in Europe and deployment on the customer's own infrastructure, and it publicizes customers in banking, insurance and the public sector.

Le Chat is also available to individual users. Implication: if your customers use Mistral, whatever the size of their company, include it in your measurement; confirm this by asking them or reviewing your referral data.

Which ones should you pay attention to, based on your business?

Do not chase all five. Identify where your buyer is and prioritize one or two, on top of ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity:

• B2C, mass-market or local business in markets where WhatsApp is common → Meta AI (WhatsApp).
• Customers you know use Le Chat or the Mistral API → Mistral.
• Customers you know use Qwen, DeepSeek or products that integrate them → Qwen and DeepSeek.
• Audience active on X → Grok.

What they have in common

The basic signals overlap, so there is no need to rebuild the strategy for each model.

Correct schema. Organization, Article and FAQPage (where there are visible questions) explicitly describe what you are and what you sell to any system that reads your site. Details are in the schema markup for AI guide.

Presence in independent sources. Models learn from what is published on the open web and, when they search, cite third parties; Grok also uses X. Work on industry media, directories, reviews and communities; see what sources feed AI.

Updates and question-and-answer format. Reviewed content, with dateModified when there are real changes, written as answers to real questions. Learn how to write content that AI will cite.

Work on the common foundation first and then adjust per channel (presence on X for Grok, open-web sources for the rest).

Quick ecosystem comparison

For the deep dives on the main models, see how to appear in Gemini, in Perplexity and in Claude, plus the ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Perplexity comparison.

And if your customer increasingly asks by voice, several of these models are behind Siri, Alexa+ and Google Home: GEO for voice assistants.

How to measure your presence in these models

Many answers from these models do not include links, so Analytics is not enough. You measure them by sampling: a set of category prompts run against each model, recording mention rate and how you are described. Measure the one or two relevant to your audience, not all five. For the full metrics framework, see the GEO metrics you should track and how to measure the real ROI of your GEO strategy.

5 common mistakes

1. Ignoring everything that isn't ChatGPT. You leave unreviewed channels your audience may use.

2. Treating all LLMs the same. Each uses different sources; copying your ChatGPT tactics is not enough.

3. Chasing models irrelevant to your market. Investing in Qwen if you sell local B2C in the US is unlikely to pay off.

4. Forgetting open weights. Llama, Qwen and DeepSeek also run inside third-party apps, not only in their official app.

5. Not measuring. Assuming you "don't appear" without data. Without sampling you don't know which channels you appear in and which you don't.

FAQ

Do I have to optimize for all five models?

No. Prioritize based on your audience's demonstrated usage: ask customers which assistants they use and review your referral data. For example, Meta AI if your customers use WhatsApp or Instagram to get information, and Mistral, Qwen, DeepSeek or Grok if you know they use them. Work on one or two beyond ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.

What is an open-weights model and why should I care?

Llama, Qwen and DeepSeek publish open-weights versions that, depending on their license, others can build into their products. That is why they do not live only in their official app, but also inside third-party assistants and tools, each with its own connected sources.

Does Grok only look at what's posted on X?

No. Grok can combine X posts with web search and return citations from both sources. Its built-in access to X's public conversation makes it useful for current events, finance, crypto and technology.

I sell B2C in markets where WhatsApp is common — which should I prioritize?

Meta AI is a good candidate: it is integrated into WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook, apps widely used in those markets. Check what it answers about your category before investing.

Is Mistral worth it if I'm not a large enterprise?

It depends on whether your customers use it, not on the size of your company. Le Chat is available to individual users and Mistral also sells to businesses; include Mistral if you confirm your audience uses it.

Do these models use the same signals as ChatGPT?

The fundamentals overlap: correct schema, presence in independent sources, updated content and question-and-answer format. Then you adjust per channel: presence on X for Grok, open-web sources for the rest.

Measuring your visibility across models

Mentio analyzes, depending on the plan, your brand's presence in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and Perplexity, with questions about your category in your language. It does not measure Meta AI, Qwen, DeepSeek or Mistral; for those, use the manual sampling described above.

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