AI search. Reviewed October 29, 2026
AI citation
Also called: Cited source, AI mention
An AI citation is a link or named source inside an AI assistant's answer, and it is the AI-search equivalent of ranking on page one.
In practice
A mention is the business named in the answer; a citation is the page linked as the source. Both come from the same thing: a page the assistant found, trusted and could quote. Lists, comparisons, price pages and definitions get cited most.
Track which pages are cited for which questions. That list tells you what to write more of.
Related terms
- AI mention rateAI mention rate is the share of AI assistant answers to a set of buyer questions that name a specific business, measured by asking the same questions repeatedly over time.
- Generative engine optimizationGenerative engine optimization is the work of getting a business named or cited in answers written by AI assistants, through clear facts on its own site, structured data, and mentions on sites the assistants trust.
- AI searchAI search is any search where an assistant such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Google's AI Mode writes the answer and names a few businesses or sources, instead of returning ten links.
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