Definition
The canonical answer.
An AI citation is a reference an AI answer engine attaches to its response, naming the source it drew a claim from. Citations are the currency of AI search: being cited puts a brand inside the answer a buyer actually reads, and citation share is the AI-era equivalent of ranking position.
Worked example
In practice.
When an assistant answers a hiring question with a shortlist and links the roundup it pulled from, that roundup won the citation. Earning citations means being present and quotable in the sources engines retrieve: original data, directories, reviews, and pages whose claims are specific enough to quote.
Where this work happens: AI Search Optimization
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