Research11 min
The state of AEO in 2026: Claude is not ChatGPT
Across roughly 35,000 URLs associated with 400 queries, 79.2% of Claude's cited URLs also appeared in Brave's top 10.
AEO and GEO research
Research
Original studies, operating methods, and reference work on how answer engines search, retrieve, cite, and recommend information.
Talks, decks, external writing, and research notes live in the Archive.
Statistics · studies for evidence · SAGE for operations · AEO definition
Latest research
1 studyMajor studies
3 studiesResearch12 min
What 250 million AI search results say gets cited
Traditional SEO metrics explained only 4% to 7% of citation variance across 1,311 pages.
Research10 min
Why Reddit became AI search's most-cited domain
Reddit ranked first in the aggregate dataset, appearing in 3.11% of citations across the tracked answer engines.
Research9 min
What 50 million ChatGPT prompts reveal about user intent
The largest intent category is generative: 37.5% of prompts ask ChatGPT to create, draft, or complete something.
Methods
1 operating methodOperating methodSAGE
SAGE for AEO: A Four-Stage Operating Loop
SAGE helps teams decide which part of an AEO process needs attention next.
Reference
6 pagesData reference
AI search statistics and research findings
A citable compendium of Josh Blyskal's AI search findings with samples, dates, methods, limitations, and citation formats.
Practitioner reference
What is answer engine optimization (AEO)?
A definitive guide to how AEO works, how it differs from SEO, and why AEO and GEO are two names for the same discipline.
Measurement reference
How I measure AI visibility
Why I read visibility rank first, then use score, position, citation share, and accuracy to decide what to do next.
Retrieval reference
Query fan-out: how AI search turns one prompt into many searches
Observed fan-out behavior across ChatGPT and Claude, with samples, limitations, and a practical diagnostic workflow.
Company history
Profound's founding team: founders and first employees
A sourced history of the people who built Profound in its earliest days.
Editorial reference
The 12 best AEO and GEO experts in 2026
An opinionated, source-backed comparison of researchers, technical practitioners, and strategists.