GEO and AI glossary

The language of AI visibility made simple

The vocabulary changes fast and often contradicts itself. Each definition fits in a few lines, can be quoted as is and points to its sources. Then comes a concrete example, and the mistake we see most often.

Definitions reviewed October 31, 2026

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The terms

5 definitions to understand answer engines

GEOGenerative Engine OptimizationGEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the work that makes a brand’s content easier for AI answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Google AI Overviews to understand, reuse and cite. It extends SEO: the same foundations, a different kind of result.Read the definition
AI OverviewsGoogle AI OverviewsAI Overviews are summaries generated by Google’s AI and shown at the top of some search results pages. They answer the question directly and link to a few source pages. Launched in the United States in May 2024, they have been available in France since July 22, 2026.Read the definition
AI ModeGoogle AI ModeAI Mode is a conversational search interface from Google. Instead of a list of links, it writes a detailed answer, accepts follow-up questions and cites source pages. Opened in the United States in May 2025, it has been available in France since July 2026, from a dedicated tab.Read the definition
AEOAnswer Engine OptimizationAEO (Answer Engine Optimization) means writing and structuring pages so they provide the direct answer to a question, picked up by an engine without the user needing to click: a Google featured snippet, a voice assistant or an AI answer engine. The goal is no longer just ranking, but having your answer reused.Read the definition
llms.txtllms.txt is a Markdown text file placed at the root of a website (/llms.txt) that presents, in a few lines, the business and its key pages for language models. Proposed in September 2024, it is not an official standard: it helps an AI agent find its way, without guaranteeing any citation.Read the definition

Is your brand cited by AI engines?

Definitions help you understand. An AI visibility audit tells you where you stand: questions tested, engines checked, sources cited, then the pages to work on first.

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