(Yicai) Sept. 18 -- The rise of artificial intelligence-powered internet search is prompting brands and investors to explore generative engine optimization, or GEO, as the next frontier for online visibility after traditional search engine optimization.

Last month, Sequoia Capital led a Series B funding round for US-based GEO startup Profound, valuing the company at over USD100 million. On Sept. 8, PureblueAI, a GEO company founded by Lu Yang -- former head of marketing for ByteDance's AI chatbot Doubao -- completed a financing round worth tens of millions of Chinese yuan.

Unlike SEO, which relies on keywords, GEO is driven by AI recommendation systems. When users pose questions, chatbots like Doubao and DeepSeek generate responses by referencing large volumes of online content. These responses frequently reference companies and brands -- sometimes positively, sometimes negatively -- creating what is known as AI visibility.

Tony Yan, co-founder of US content marketing firm QuickCreator.io, said the process of boosting visibility in AI-generated responses follows a predictable pattern. By identifying which high-authority sources are favored by each model, brands can strategically embed themselves in the content those models rely on.

QuickCreator.io launched its GEO product in May and has already attracted over 1,000 registered users, with 10 to 20 new users joining daily. Most are from overseas, including some from China. Yan said the rapid uptake reflects strong market demand, especially since the product has yet to be formally promoted.

Many companies now engaging with GEO previously focused on SEO, said Nick Hu, chief executive of digital marketing agency Cross Border Digital China. The shift is inevitable, he said, as firms observe growing traffic and even orders originating from platforms like ChatGPT.

On the customer side, Liu Junchen, who oversees promotion of Cross Border Digital’s GEO product, said that brand awareness of GEO varies across sectors. So far, most paying clients are concentrated in financial services and software or are leading independent e-commerce brands.

Still, the GEO industry faces several hurdles. China's content ecosystem remains fragmented, affecting the consistency of AI-generated responses. Moreover, with developers of large language models investing heavily in training, it remains uncertain which models will come out on top. These factors could influence the pace and direction of GEO’s growth.

Editor: Emmi Laine