Global digital marketing experts are debating in 2026 whether optimizing for AI search engines constitutes a new discipline, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), or remains an extension of traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
The discussion centers on significant challenges in measuring AI visibility and adapting content strategies, as generative AI models interact with information differently than conventional search algorithms, industry analysts said.
Google has maintained that AI search optimization is still fundamentally SEO, noting that AI Overviews more frequently cite pages that already rank higher in traditional search results.
However, AI models like ChatGPT often do not process entire web pages, frequently relying on 202-character snippets from their index, according to research by Abondance.com. The study found 44.2 percent of ChatGPT’s citations originated from the first 30 percent of a page’s text.
The reliability of AI visibility measurement has become a point of contention among specialists. Source citations from AI models can fluctuate significantly day-to-day, with only a 34 to 42 percent overlap in cited sources over time, Julien Bismuth of Resoneo reported.
Some experts, including Kevin Indig of iPullRank, have deemed traditional position tracking unreliable for AI visibility. Michael Beresin of Profound also highlighted that AI bots such as ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini do not execute JavaScript and disregard llms.txt files, potentially complicating content delivery and guidance.
The relative value of backlinks versus direct mentions for AI citation remains unresolved in 2026, with no conclusive studies providing definitive answers, though mentions are gaining traction, according to Olivier de Segonzac of Getfluence.
Cited pages experience a rapid decline in their citation share, losing half within 11 days of their peak, indicating a short lifespan for AI citations, according to data from HasData.
Mike King of iPullRank emphasized the need for content strategies that account for AI’s specific interaction patterns. Daniel Roch of SeoMix added that understanding how AI models parse information is critical for effective optimization.
Rand Fishkin of SparkToro suggested that the evolving nature of AI search may necessitate a re-evaluation of long-held SEO principles. Ethan Smith of Greenflag Digital concurred, stating the industry is at a crossroads.
David Groult of Noiise indicated that businesses must adapt quickly to these new dynamics to maintain online presence. Conductor’s analysis also pointed to the increasing importance of direct answer optimization for generative AI.
Source: Abondance
