# How this differs from SEO

SEO optimizes for a ranked list of links and wins clicks. AEO optimizes for a synthesized answer and wins mentions, citations, and recommendations. Different crawlers, different signals — and only ~11–12% overlap between Google’s top results and what ChatGPT cites.

Canonical: https://robauto.ai/learn/ai-search-aeo/5

_AI Search (AEO/GEO): Get Found by Machines That Answer — lesson 5 of 20 (DEFINITION)_

SEO optimizes for a ranked list of links and wins clicks. AEO optimizes for a synthesized answer and wins mentions, citations, and recommendations. Different crawlers, different signals — and only ~11–12% overlap between Google’s top results and what ChatGPT cites.

Source: [Ahrefs / QuickSEO citation-overlap studies (2026)](https://ahrefs.com/blog?utm_source=robauto)

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