Where the abbreviation comes from
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO optimization), by analogy with SEO. The terms AEO and AIO are also around, with no established boundaries between them in the market yet. The essence is the same for all: visibility where the user gets a ready-made answer and does not go to the search results.
What this means in practice
The AI model does not invent the answer, but takes fragments from indexed pages. This means the winning content is the one from which it is convenient to extract a piece: short precise formulations, facts with numbers, FAQs and glossaries instead of vague long reads.
Why it does not work without SEO
Алиса AI builds answers on the results of Яндекс.Поиск, Google's AI mode relies on the same index as the regular search results. A website that does not rank in classic search simply does not get into the pool of sources. GEO is an add-on to SEO, not a replacement for it.