Generative Engine Optimisation: the new discipline of optimising for AI-powered search.
OtterlyAI's 90-day experiment and SE Ranking's 300,000-domain study both found llms.txt has zero measurable effect on AI visibility. They're right about the data, wrong about what it means. Neither study checked the quality of the files they tested. Most are URL dumps. That's the problem.
Ahrefs data from 4 February 2026 shows AI Overviews reduce clicks by 58% for top-ranking pages, up from 34.5% last year. Position 1 CTR dropped 78% in two years. Three independent studies confirm it. But brands cited inside the AI Overview earn 35% more clicks than organic results below.
Traditional SEO is no longer enough. Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) requires different website design priorities: structured answer blocks, schema markup, AI discovery files, and content architecture that AI systems can cite. Research shows GEO-optimised content improves AI visibility by up to 40%.
Google made Gemini 3 the default model for AI Overviews globally on 27 January, reaching over one billion users. Users can now flow from AI Overviews into AI Mode conversations. The second click is dying. Here is what UK businesses must change about their websites to stay cited.