The practice of optimizing content and brand presence so that AI engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overviews) cite you in their generated answers.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the discipline of getting your brand cited by AI engines that answer user queries directly — rather than the older SEO model of getting clicks from a list of blue links. AEO emerged as a category in 2024–2025 as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews, and Microsoft Copilot began intercepting search traffic at scale. The buyer for AEO is typically a Head of SEO, Head of Growth, or CMO at a B2B SaaS company watching their organic traffic decline as AI engines absorb queries.
67% of Fortune 500 CMOs ranked AEO/GEO as a top-3 priority for FY26 budgets (Conductor State of AEO/GEO 2026). AI engines now intercept a material share of high-intent commercial research traffic. Brands that don't get cited in AI answers don't get shortlisted for purchase consideration.
A B2B SaaS company sells project management software. A buyer asks ChatGPT 'what are the best project management tools for engineering teams?' If the company's content is AEO-optimized, ChatGPT cites them in the response. If not, ChatGPT cites their competitors and the buyer never discovers them.
The terms in this glossary aren't theoretical — they're what Lantern's product calculates and reports every month for B2B SaaS teams. See yours in 7 days. 14-day free trial.
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