Frequently Asked Questions

What is Sector HQ?

Sector HQ is a real-time ranking system for AI companies based on actual activity and substance, not just hype. We track:

• 500+ AI companies worldwide
• 20,000+ events per week from verified sources
• Rankings updated every 5 minutes with live data
• BS Detection algorithm measuring hype vs reality

Unlike traditional rankings published quarterly or annually, our system operates in real-time, detecting shifts in AI development as they happen.

Who is ranked #1 in AI adoption right now?

Rankings update every 5 minutes. Check the live leaderboard for current standings.

Note: Rankings are based on 7-day event activity, sentiment scores, and quality metrics.

How often is the leaderboard updated?

The leaderboard updates every 5 minutes with real-time data from Reddit, arXiv,GitHub, company blogs, tech news, and other sources where actual AI development happens. Rankings reflect 7-day rolling activity.

How many AI companies do you track?

We currently track 100 AI companies in real-time, analyzing thousands of events per dayfrom multiple sources including GitHub, research papers, product launches, and community discussions.

Is this leaderboard free to use?

Yes, Sector HQ is completely free to view. We also offer a free API tier with 100 requests per day. Premium tiers with higher rate limits and historical data access are available for commercial use.

Which AI company has the highest Hype Gap?

Currently, Alibaba has the highest Hype Gap at +8.7, meaning their hype score (14.1) exceeds their reality score (5.4) by 8.7 points.

Who is the most honest AI company?

Stripe has the lowest Hype Gap at -22.3, indicating their marketing closely aligns with actual deliverables.

Which company has the best sentiment score?

UK Power Networks has the highest sentiment score at 68%, indicating strong positive community perception and market confidence.

What company is most active in AI right now?

OpenAI is currently the most active with 819 AI-related events in the past 7 days.

What company dropped the most in rankings this week?

Rankings are based on 7-day rolling activity. Companies can drop if their event volume decreases or if competitors increase activity. Check the live leaderboard for the latest rank changes.

How do I find a specific company on the leaderboard?

Use the search bar at the top of the leaderboard to find any tracked company by name. You can also filter by industry, rank range, or Hype Gap classification.

Can I compare two AI companies head-to-head?

Yes! Visit /compare/[company1]-vs-[company2] to see detailed head-to-head comparisons of any two companies, including scores, events, sentiment, and Hype Gaps.

Do you track AI startups or only big companies?

We track both established tech giants and emerging AI startups. Any company with measurable AI activity (GitHub repos, papers, product launches) can appear on the leaderboard regardless of size.

How do you calculate AI adoption scores?

Scores are calculated using a time-decayed weighted formula that combines three core factors:

Core Components (per event):

• Quality (40%): Content quality score from comprehensive AI analysis
• Sentiment (30%): Event sentiment analysis (0-1 scale, higher = more positive)
• Urgency (30%): Event importance and priority (0-10 scale, normalized)

Additional Bonuses:

• • Frequency Bonus: More events = higher score (capped at +10 points)
• • Recency Bonus: Recent activity within last week (up to +5 points)
• • Time Decay: Exponential decay (10% per week) - recent events weighted higher

Full methodology details →

What events do you track?

How is sentiment calculated?

Sentiment is calculated per-event using AI-powered content analysis from multiple sources including Reddit discussions (r/MachineLearning, r/artificial), company blogs, tech news, and arXiv papers. Each event receives a sentiment score (0-1 scale), which is then time-weighted and aggregated at the company level. Events decay exponentially over time (10% per week), giving more weight to recent sentiment signals.

What sources do you monitor for AI events?

We aggregate data from 6 primary source categories:

How do you detect marketing spin vs real substance?

Our Hype Gap algorithm uses AI-powered pattern analysis to detect marketing hype vs technical substance in every event:

Every event is analyzed for BOTH hype and reality patterns. Scores are time-weighted and aggregated. Updates every 5 minutes.

Why do some companies have no Hype Gap data?

Hype Gap requires at least 3 events in the past 7 days to calculate accurately. New companies or those with minimal recent activity may not have enough data for reliable hype vs reality analysis.

Can companies game the rankings?

It's difficult to game the rankings because we weight quality over quantity. Spamming low-quality events or fake GitHub activity will lower quality scores. Community sentiment analysis also detects astroturfing.

What is a hype score?

A hype score (0-100) measures the volume and intensity of marketing claims, press releases, and self-promotion from AI companies. It analyzes company blog posts, press releases, and executive statements for buzzwords and unsubstantiated claims.

What is a reality score?

A reality score (0-100) measures actual substance and deliverables from community and third-party sources. It tracks GitHub activity, research papers, product launches with demos, developer discussions, and verified user feedback.

What is the Hype Gap?

The Hype Gap is the difference between hype score and reality score.

• Positive gap: Marketing claims exceed actual substance
• Negative gap: Under-promises and over-delivers
• Zero gap: Balanced and honest messaging

What Hype Gap is considered high?

How accurate is Hype Gap detection?

Our Hype Gap detection has ~85% accuracy based on manual validation. We use NLP to detect buzzwords, vague claims, and unsubstantiated promises in marketing content, cross-referenced against actual deliverables.

How is this different from other AI rankings?

Unlike traditional rankings based on revenue or funding, we measure actual AI activity in real-time.

• → Real-time updates (every 5 minutes, not quarterly)
• → Activity-based (what they're shipping, not what they're worth)
• → Hype Gap detection (unique Hype vs Reality analysis)
• → Community-driven (includes GitHub, Reddit, arXiv)
• → Quality filtered (we ignore marketing fluff)

What are the top 5 most active AI companies right now?

As of 12/15/2025, the most active AI companies are: 1. OpenAI (819 events), 2. Anthropic (392 events), 3. Microsoft (154 events), 4. Google (145 events), 5. Nvidia (106 events). Activity is measured by GitHub commits, research papers, product launches, and community discussions in the past 7 days.

What is the difference between OpenAI and Anthropic?

OpenAI (rank #1, score 354717.9) vs Anthropic (rank #2, score 213644.0). OpenAI has 819 events in the past 7 days with 58% sentiment. Anthropic has 392 events with 59% sentiment. OpenAI is currently more active.

Which AI companies are growing fastest?

Growth is measured by 7-day score changes. Companies with increased event activity, improved sentiment, or major product launches show the fastest growth. Visit /lists/fastest-growing for the current list.

What AI companies should I watch in 2025?

Watch for companies with: (1) negative BS gaps (under-promise, over-deliver), (2) rapid score growth, (3) high event velocity, and (4) strong community sentiment. Rising stars often appear in ranks 20-50 before breaking into the top 10.

How do I choose between different AI companies?

Consider: (1) Activity level - companies with 10+ events/week are actively shipping, (2) Hype Gap - negative gaps mean they under-promise and over-deliver, (3) Sentiment - above 60% indicates strong community support, (4) Score trend - positive 7-day change shows momentum. Use /compare/[company1]-vs-[company2] for head-to-head analysis.

What is the difference between ChatGPT and Claude?

ChatGPT (by OpenAI) and Claude (by Anthropic) are both advanced AI assistants. ChatGPT pioneered conversational AI with GPT-3.5/4, while Claude focuses on helpful, harmless, and honest interactions. Compare their parent companies at /compare/openai-vs-anthropic.

Which AI company has the best developer tools?

Top companies by developer activity: 1. OpenAI (819 events, 58% sentiment), 2. Anthropic (392 events, 59% sentiment), 3. Microsoft (154 events, 46% sentiment). High event counts indicate strong API development, SDK updates, and developer community engagement.

What are hidden gem AI companies?

Hidden gems (negative Hype Gap, over-delivering): 1. Stripe (Hype Gap: -22.3, rank #27), 2. Qwen (Hype Gap: -6.7, rank #35), 3. Sony (Hype Gap: -16.7, rank #84). These companies ship more than they promise. Visit /lists/hidden-gems for the complete list.

Which AI companies are most overhyped?

Companies with Hype Gaps above +20 are considered highly overhyped. Currently, Alibaba leads with a +8.7 gap (hype score: 14.1, reality score: 5.4). See the full list at /lists/most-overhyped with all companies ranked by marketing spin vs substance.

How can investors use this data?

Investors can identify genuinely innovative AI companies (high reality, low Hype Gap) vs overhyped ones. Track momentum through event velocity, assess market sentiment, and compare competitors before investment decisions. Look for companies with: negative Hype Gaps (under-promise/over-deliver), consistent event activity (10+ per week), strong sentiment (60%+), and positive score trends.

Can I track a specific company over time?

Yes! Click any company to see their full profile with historical event timeline, rank changes, sentiment trends, and Hype Gap evolution. Premium API access provides complete historical data export with 30+ days of tracking.

How do I interpret sentiment scores?

Sentiment reflects community perception from Reddit, HackerNews, Twitter, and developer forums. Ranges:

High sentiment with high Hype Gap = effective marketing but limited substance. High sentiment with low Hype Gap = genuine quality.

What does a high score but low rank mean?

A high score (e.g., 75+) with a low rank (e.g., #50) means the company is doing well in absolute terms, but others are doing even better. Rankings are relative; scores are absolute measures of activity. The AI industry is highly competitive - a score of 75 might rank #1 in a slower week or #50 in a week with high industry activity.

What AI companies are best for enterprise use?

For enterprise use, prioritize companies with: (1) scores above 75, (2) consistent event activity (7+ per week), (3) sentiment above 60%, and (4) Hype Gaps under +10. These indicators suggest reliable, well-supported AI solutions suitable for production environments.

Can I access this data via API?

Yes. The Sector HQ API provides real-time AI tracking data, company rankings, event feeds, and hype vs reality metrics.

• → Free tier: 100 requests/day
• → Real-time updates: 5-minute polling or webhooks
• → Historical data: Complete event history
• → Filtering: By company, industry, or custom criteria

What API endpoints are available?

Available endpoints: GET /leaderboard (all companies), GET /company/{slug} (company details), GET /events (event feed), GET /compare/{slug1}/{slug2} (comparisons), GET /historical/{slug} (time-series data).

How do I get historical data?

Historical data (30+ days) requires a premium API key. Free tier provides 7-day historical snapshots. Premium includes full event history, rank changes, and sentiment trends since Jan 2024.