daniels ai design studio
2026 Edition · July 12, 2026 · Rubric v2.9

The ACI 55

The first published index of how the world's leading brands are discovered by artificial intelligence.

Fifty-five brands, across eleven categories, each measured and ranked by its AI Citability Score (ACS) — a single 0–100 measure of how readily a brand is found and cited across answer engines, generative AI, and search. Measured with Mirror, the studio's brand-discovery instrument. This is the score layer of the index; it is free to read, and free to cite.

“Mirror is not just a measurement system. Mirror is the intelligence system for Brand Discovery.”
— Beckett, the intelligence layer of Daniels AI
69/100
Average ACS across all 55 brands
83
Top score — Google (Above Average); no brand reached Excellent
85 vs 54
Average GEO vs. average AEO
11×5
Eleven consumer categories, five brands each

The 31-point gap is the story.

Across all 55 brands, the average GEO score (how well generative AI can describe a brand) is 85 — but the average AEO score (how readily an answer engine will cite that brand) is just 54. Every brand here is more describable than it is citable. That 31-point gap is the AI citability gap — the distance between being known and being named. Closing it is what Mirror measures, and what the studio does.

The Index

Click any column header to sort.
# Brand Category ACS ▼ AEO GEO SEO
1 Googlegoogle.com Technology / Consumer Electronics 83 74 97 78
2 Amazonamazon.com Retail & E-commerce 83 72 95 82
3 Appleapple.com Technology / Consumer Electronics 77 62 95 72
4 Microsoftmicrosoft.com Technology / Consumer Electronics 77 62 95 72
5 McDonald'smcdonalds.com Restaurants & QSR 76 62 91 74
6 Adidasadidas.com Sporting Equipment 75 58 94 72
7 Delldell.com Technology / Consumer Electronics 74 58 92 72
8 Toyotatoyota.com Autos & Trucks 74 58 92 72
9 Airbnbairbnb.com Travel & Hospitality 74 62 88 72
10 Costcocostco.com Retail & E-commerce 74 62 88 72
11 Intuitintuit.com Fintech & Consumer Finance 74 62 88 72
12 Walmartwalmart.com Retail & E-commerce 74 62 88 72
13 Sephorasephora.com Beauty & Personal Care 73 62 88 68
14 Hiltonhilton.com Travel & Hospitality 73 58 88 72
15 Teslatesla.com Autos & Trucks 72 52 93 72
16 Robinhoodrobinhood.com Fintech & Consumer Finance 72 52 91 72
17 American Expressamericanexpress.com Fintech & Consumer Finance 72 58 90 68
18 IKEAikea.com Retail & E-commerce 71 58 88 67
19 Levi'slevi.com Fashion & Apparel 71 52 88 72
20 Zarazara.com Fashion & Apparel 71 52 88 72
21 Marriottmarriott.com Travel & Hospitality 71 58 84 72
22 Domino'sdominos.com Restaurants & QSR 71 62 82 68
23 Starbucksstarbucks.com Restaurants & QSR 70 58 88 62
24 L'Oréalloreal.com Beauty & Personal Care 69 52 92 62
25 Delta Air Linesdelta.com Travel & Hospitality 69 52 88 68
26 Nikenike.com Sporting Equipment 69 52 88 68
27 Ulta Beautyulta.com Beauty & Personal Care 69 52 88 68
28 Hondahonda.com Autos & Trucks 69 52 85 70
29 YETIyeti.com Sporting Equipment 69 58 82 66
30 Epic Gamesepicgames.com Online Gaming 68 52 88 62
31 PlayStationplaystation.com Online Gaming 68 52 88 62
32 SoFisofi.com Fintech & Consumer Finance 68 52 88 62
33 Targettarget.com Retail & E-commerce 68 52 84 68
34 Nintendonintendo.com Online Gaming 68 58 72 74
35 General Motorsgm.com Autos & Trucks 67 52 82 68
36 Samsungsamsung.com Technology / Consumer Electronics 67 58 72 71
37 Ralph Laurenralphlauren.com Fashion & Apparel 66 48 88 62
38 Patagoniapatagonia.com Sporting Equipment 66 54 82 62
39 e.l.f. Beautyelfcosmetics.com Beauty & Personal Care 66 52 82 62
40 Fordford.com Autos & Trucks 66 52 82 62
41 Xboxxbox.com Online Gaming 66 52 82 63
42 Hyatthyatt.com Travel & Hospitality 65 52 82 61
43 Pelotononepeloton.com Sporting Equipment 65 52 82 61
44 Stöcklistoeckli.com Ski & Mountain 64 34 88 70
45 Estée Lauderesteelauder.com Beauty & Personal Care 64 52 82 58
46 H&Mhm.com Fashion & Apparel 64 48 82 62
47 Robloxroblox.com Online Gaming 64 42 82 68
48 Chipotlechipotle.com Restaurants & QSR 64 52 78 62
49 PayPalpaypal.com Fintech & Consumer Finance 64 52 72 68
50 Rossignolrossignol.com Ski & Mountain 63 42 85 62
51 Vailvail.com Ski & Mountain 63 48 78 62
52 Yum! Brandsyum.com Restaurants & QSR 60 42 82 55
53 Reformationreformation.com Fashion & Apparel 57 48 62 63
54 Alterra Mountain Co.alterramtn.com Ski & Mountain 53 36 72 52
55 Spruce Peaksprucepeak.com Ski & Mountain 48 38 52 55
Excellent (90–100) Above Average (66–89) Average (41–65) Below Average (0–40)

How the ACI 55 is measured

Each brand earns an AI Citability Score (ACS) — a composite of three engine scores, weighted:

ACS = AEO × 0.35 + GEO × 0.35 + SEO × 0.30

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) measures whether answer engines cite the brand as a source. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) measures how completely and accurately generative AI describes the brand. SEO measures traditional search discoverability. Scores are produced by Mirror under rubric v2.9, with GEO and SEO scored on confirmable evidence — absence of evidence scores down.

The ACI 55 publishes the score layer only. The full Reflection behind each score — the diagnosis and the plan to close the gap — is the studio's work, delivered to brands directly.

Instrument: Mirror Rubric: v2.9 CC BY 4.0
Cite as Daniels AI Design Studio. The ACI 55, 2026 Edition. July 12, 2026. danielsdesignstudio.com/aci-55

The ACI 55 is published under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. You are free to share and build on the rankings, including in AI systems and research — please credit Daniels AI Design Studio and link back to this page.

The 2026 Edition reflects measurements taken July 12, 2026. Scores are reproducible to within a few points on re-measurement.

Produced with Mirror, the studio's brand-discovery instrument. Agents can run their own Reflections directly via the Mirror MCP server at mcp.danielsdesignstudio.com.