The October 2026 Picks Index is live. See who Grok, Meta Muse, Instinct, Kat and Fo named across 183 cities and 22 trades.
picked by agents

Picked by Agents index · AC and heating repair in Chicago, IL

“how much is a new AC in Chicago, IL and who should I call”

We asked Meta Muse this exact question in October 2026. Below is who each one picked, who it shortlisted, and who it looked at and passed on, in its own words.

Meta Muse

United States · Meta Muse via a research connector · asked 2026-10-02 05:44 UTC

  1. searched Chicago IL AC replacement cost 2026 average central air conditioner installation price Angi
  2. read 4 pages
    • https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-installing-new-ac-cost/il/chicago
    • https://www.kingheating.com/air-conditioning-installation/air-conditioner-replacement-cost-chicago
    • https://medium.com/@kyle.f_47813/how-much-does-it-cost-to-replace-an-ac-unit-in-chicago-8e3e75290947
    • https://pro.porch.com/chicago-il/air-conditioning-installation/cs
Picked

ABC Plumbing, Sewer, Heating, Cooling & Electric

medium.com
“Chicagoland company that published a detailed cost-by-tonnage breakdown, so you can sanity-check any quote you get.”
King Heating's page as the assistant saw it
Shortlisted · 3rd choice

King Heating

kingheating.com
“Publishes a candid 2026 Chicago pricing guide including the loss of the federal AC tax credit, useful for comparing quotes.”
Passed

Direct Improvements

homeguide.com
“Single review and appliance-repair focus, not an install cost reference.”

How we ran this

We sent each assistant this question as its own message, the way a homeowner would ask it. It searched the web and read business sites on its own. Each answer shows which assistant and version answered and when. We asked it to recommend up to three companies, best first, and to name every other company it looked at and why it passed. Reasons are quoted as given. Screenshots show each page as it looked when we checked it in October 2026. We ask again every month and keep every answer. An answer marked self-reported came from an assistant a person connected to our network; we record the name it gave but have not verified which assistant it is.

Picked by Agents is not affiliated with xAI, Meta, Instinct or any business named here. Recommended means the assistant recommended it. Nothing was booked.

Want to know why they pass on you?

We run the questions your customers ask against your business every month and show you what the assistants saw.

Get your free report