// Research
Research on AI search & visibility
Where AI search is actually going, and what to do about it — grounded in data, not vibes.
AI Search in 2026: The Attribution Gap Is the Real Story
Half of 2026 is gone, and AI has reshaped search traffic, brand discovery, and even software valuations — faster than anyone can measure it. Here are the numbers that matter and what to actually do about them.
Everyone's Generating llms.txt Files. Almost No AI Reads Them.
llms.txt is on roughly one in ten sites — yet it accounts for about 0.1% of AI crawler traffic, and no major AI vendor has committed to reading it. Here's what the data actually says, and what to do instead.
We Audited AI-Crawler Policies at 46 Top Crypto Sites. 98% Let Every Bot Through.
The standard GEO advice is 'check your robots.txt, you're probably blocking AI crawlers.' We ran the numbers on the biggest crypto and web3 sites — and the accidental-block panic is aimed at the wrong target.
AEO vs GEO vs SEO: What's the Difference?
SEO, AEO and GEO get used interchangeably — but they optimize for three different things. A clear breakdown of what each term means, how they stack, and which one to prioritize as search becomes answering.
What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
A plain-English definition of generative engine optimization (GEO): what it is, how it differs from SEO, what actually makes AI answer engines cite you, and how to measure it. The pillar guide from Zion Labs.
The Crypto & Fintech AI-Readiness Index: Access Isn't the Problem
We audited 146 crypto and fintech sites for AI crawler access. 95.5% allow every AI crawler we checked, and just 2 block a crawler that feeds ChatGPT, Perplexity or Claude. Access isn't the industry's visibility gap — so where is it?