# AI Citation

> An AI citation, in the AI-search sense, is when an AI search engine references and links your page as a source in its answer. Citations are the core unit of AI visibility: in a zero-click world, being one of the cited sources, not ranking a blue link, is what gets your brand seen.

- Updated: 2026-06-11
- Canonical: https://geotoolbox.ai/glossary/ai-citation

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Citation logic is not the same as ranking logic. Engines cite sources that are clear, current, corroborated, and easy to extract, which is why a high-authority page can be ignored while a sharper one is quoted. Position inside the page matters too: a Kevin Indig analysis published in February 2026 found 44.2% of 18,012 verified ChatGPT citations pointed to the first 30% of the content.

You track citations by querying the engines for your topics and counting how often you appear versus competitors, which rolls up into your AI share of voice.