AI search works by using large language models to understand questions, retrieve relevant information from the web or its internal knowledge, and generate answers using the most relevant content.
LLMs choose citations based on clarity, structure, topic authority, and semantic mapping. They look for content that directly answers the question, sits inside a strong topical cluster, and demonstrates expertise through internal linking and schema markup.
AI citations are the new way search engines credit sources inside AI-generated answers. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity pull content from sites they consider authoritative and cite them inside summaries, explanations, and recommendations.
