List framing is added in one fifth of rewrites
List framing was added in 20.13 percent (2,319 instances) of observed query rewrites.
AI often turns open-ended prompts into list-shaped searches.
The numbers behind it.
- List-format conversion
- 2,319 rewrites added list framing.
- 20.13%
The evidence.
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| List-format conversion 2,319 rewrites added list framing. | 20.13% |
Population and method
Built from 11,521 captured prompt-to-query pairs observed in OpenAI web search calls, with 100% search-query coverage in the sampled dataset.
Where the evidence stops
This study reflects captured search-query transformations rather than every hidden retrieval step a model may perform.
Some inserted entities reflect category heuristics or market leaders rather than final recommendation outcomes.
The underlying dataset is concentrated in commercial and research prompts rather than all possible conversational traffic.
What to do with this
Search strategists and content operators must prioritize structuring content into concise ranked or roundup formats. Because artificial intelligence engines actively rewrite one fifth of queries to seek list-based answers, content pre-formatted as lists becomes inherently more crawl-friendly and increases the probability of citation in generated responses.
Cite this fact.
Source study: Query Translation“List framing was added in 20.13% of observed query rewrites.”
How AI Translates Your Questions - Trakkr Research · List framing is added in one fifth of rewrites
How AI Translates Your Questions · Trakkr Research · Updated 22 January 2026