AI Search Discovery in 2026: A Field Guide for Growth Teams
Executive Summary
Across Google, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity, how discovery works now, and what to do next. Search is now multi-surface. The same query can return: (1) an AI summary in the SERP, (2) a guided chat, or (3) an assistant answer with citations that never hits your site. Google treats AI Overviews and AI Mode as core features and says more in-line source links are coming.
| Surface | What users want | What winning looks like | What to focus on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search (AI Overviews / AI Mode) |
Fast synthesis + follow-ups | Be cited; earn clicks when depth is needed | Clear entities, structured answers, trusted sources, clean page UX |
| ChatGPT Search | One best answer with sources | Appear in “Sources” / cited refs | Authoritative pages, quotable definitions, stable URLs, credible citations |
| Gemini | Help inside Google’s world | Be discoverable via linked sources and double-check flows | Claims that survive verification; consistent facts |
| Microsoft Copilot (Bing / Edge) |
Conversational search + browsing help | Be one of the clickable sources inside answers | Publisher trust, topic authority, structured content |
| Perplexity | Research + comparison with citations | Be a numbered citation people open | Dense references, clear sections, primary/secondary sources |
Google: AI Overviews + AI Mode
What it is. Google moved from “results” to “responses,” with links still in the flow. Search Central covers AI features and your website. Google also says AI Mode will show more in-line source links.
How it behaves.
AI Overviews: answers up top; users click only when needed.
AI Mode: answer → follow-ups → deeper exploration with links. Reuters reported tests of an “AI-only” layout with an AI response and source links.
What “visibility” means.
Inclusion: your page is used as source material.
Attribution: your brand or page is linked or named.
Click capture: people visit when they need proof, examples, tools, or depth.
What to do.
Add answer-first sections to high-intent pages.
Create citable chunks: definitions, tables, checklists, step sequences.
Keep entities consistent: names, categories, claims.
Treat citations as a KPI.
Resources: Google Search Central (AI features and your website). The Keyword (more source links in AI Mode responses).
ChatGPT Search: an answer engine with sources
What it is. ChatGPT can search and add inline citations, plus a Sources area with links. OpenAI’s docs explain how users open sources; the product post points to the Sources sidebar.
Where it shows up in B2B.
Problem framing ("What causes X?")
Vendor shortlists ("Top tools for Y, pros/cons")
Internal enablement (policies, RFPs, comparisons)
How to get “picked.”
You’re not “ranking;” you’re being selected as a source.
Strong pages act as reference objects: stable URLs, clear sections, quotable definitions, and citations to primary sources.
What to do.
Publish reference pages that are safe to cite. Make claims testable.
Use named entities: category, standards, integrations, compliance terms, competitor categories.
Earn corroboration from reputable third parties.
Resources: OpenAI Help (ChatGPT search). OpenAI (Introducing ChatGPT search).
Gemini: assistant behavior in Google’s world
What it is.
Gemini lives close to Google’s products. Users can double-check responses by marking statements and jumping to similar or different content in Search. Model upgrades flow into Search features, blurring “search vs. assistant.”
What to do.
Make claims easy to verify: dates, definitions, constraints, links to standards.
Avoid fragile assertions that read like sales copy.
Own your category glossary with consistent definitions.
Resource: Google Gemini Help (Double-check responses from Gemini Apps).
Microsoft Copilot: generative search + browsing
What it is.
Copilot combines chat, search, and browsing. Reuters covered “Copilot Mode” in Edge for topic-based queries and tab comparisons. Microsoft says answers include clickable sources and give users more control and clarity.
What to do.
Strengthen proof pages: docs, security, implementation guides, integration refs.
Write comparison-ready content: constraints, use cases, trade-offs.
Be citation-ready: short sections with descriptive headings.
Resources: Microsoft (Bringing the best of AI search to Copilot). Microsoft Bing (Copilot Search).
Perplexity: research-first answers with citations
What it is.
Perplexity frames answers around citations; numbered references link to original sources.
Risk to watch.
Publishers are challenging its content use. Axios reported a lawsuit from the Chicago Tribune against Perplexity. Policy shifts could affect how it indexes and cites.
What to do.
Publish dense value pages: benchmarks, teardown guides, playbooks, step-by-steps.
Cite primary sources (standards bodies, vendor docs, peer-reviewed work).
Build source gravity: original data and frameworks others reference.
Resource: Perplexity Help (How does Perplexity work?).
Treat AI search as “citation → click → conversion”
AI visibility sits upstream of traffic. Your site still matters because conversion happens on the click. The job:
Get selected and cited in AI experiences
Earn the click when people need depth, proof, or tooling
Convert with clear next steps
The 5 assets that work across engines
Reference pages: definitions, category explainers, standards, “what good looks like”
Proof pages: security, compliance, customer stories, ROI logic, integration docs
Process pages: implementation guides, checklists, migration steps
Decision pages: comparisons, “best for” matrices, pricing logic, procurement enablement
Original signal: benchmarks, research, data, and frameworks others cite
Notes for CMOs
1) Revenue
Top-of-funnel clicks will shrink. Shift the plan toward pages that win evaluation clicks: proof, decisions, implementation.
2) Resourcing
Reallocate budget from volume to a small set of strong reference objects you’ll keep fresh for 18–24 months. Review quarterly.
3) Risk
Assistants repeat mistakes at scale. Set rules for claims and facts, review high-traffic pages on a schedule, and fix weak statements. Gemini’s double-check punishes sloppy copy.
4) Measurement
Create an AI assistants channel in GA4 (custom channel groups). Track assistant referrals next to other channels.
5) Competitive reality
You’re not just up against one competitor. You’re up against the most citable page in your category.
A 30-day sprint to map your AI search footprint
Week 1: Build the query set
30 category queries (problem, category, alternatives)
30 brand queries (brand + “pricing,” “reviews,” “integration,” “security”)
30 competitor queries
Week 2: Run a citation audit across engines
For each query: who gets cited, which pages, which claims
Week 3: Patch the gaps
Create/upgrade 3 reference pages + 3 proof pages
Add answer-first sections and primary-source citations
Week 4: Instrument measurement + reporting
GA4 custom channel group for AI assistants
Monthly “AI citation review” and page refresh cadence
Steps you can take now:
To roll this out fast, build a one-page AI Search Scorecard (queries, citations, your pages, competitor pages, gaps, fixes). Review it monthly for six months. That becomes your internal map for GEO, AEO, and AI SEO priorities.
Last updated 01-03-2026
