The October 2026 Picks Index is live. See who Grok, Meta Muse, Instinct, Kat and Fo named across 195 cities and 22 trades.
picked by agents

Picked by Agents index · AC and heating repair in Columbia, SC

“how much is a new AC in Columbia, SC 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 16:46 UTC

  1. searched central AC replacement cost Columbia South Carolina 2026 average installed hvac
  2. searched best rated HVAC companies Columbia SC air conditioner replacement reviews
Cool Care Heating and Air's page as the assistant saw it
Picked

Cool Care Heating and Air

coolcarehvac.com
“NATE-certified, founded 2001, 4.5/5 from 304 Google reviews, techs paid hourly with no commission upsell pressure; 2026 central AC installs run ~$5,200–$10,300 nationally, averaging around $7,200.”

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.

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