2. How AI works

You don’t need to be an engineer to do GEO well. But you do need to understand how AI systems retrieve, weigh and process information into an answer. That mechanism — and not some mysterious algorithm — determines who gets cited.

This cluster explains how large language models work, the difference between training data and live retrieval, how RAG functions, and which signals determine whether a source is cited or ignored. Technical enough to understand, practical enough to act on.

→ Start with ‘How LLMs retrieve information‘ for the big picture, or jump straight to ‘RAG explained‘ for the most actionable insights.