Google says GEO and AEO are a myth and traditional SEO is all you need for AI search
Google just killed two buzzwords the SEO industry spent 18 months building around.
Why it matters
Google's official stance that GEO/AEO are rebranded SEO undermines a emerging consultant economy and clarifies that AI search ranking still relies on traditional signals — reshaping how companies should allocate optimization budget.
The key facts
8 to knowGoogle officially rejects GEO (generative engine optimization) and AEO (answer engine optimization) as distinct disciplines
Company documentation dismisses LLMS.txt files and content chunking as ineffective AI search tactics
AI search ranking confirmed to use same systems as traditional search
Challenges emerging SEO consulting industry built around new optimization methodologies
Google dismisses GEO (generative engine optimization) and AEO (answer engine optimization) as non-distinct from traditional SEO
Google documentation debunks tactics like LLMS.txt files and content chunking as ineffective
AI search systems use the same ranking mechanisms as traditional search, not separate algorithms
Challenges industry narrative around new SEO specializations for AI models
Go to the source
The Decoderthe-decoder.com
Publisher excerpt: Google says the SEO industry's favorite new buzzwords, "generative engine optimization" and "answer engine optimization," are just regular SEO by another name. In new documentation, the company dismantles common tactics like LLMS.txt files and content chunking, making it clear that AI search runs…