AEO tools pivot beyond AI search optimization as the niche fails to stand alone
gaganghotra_ · x · 2026-09-19
An industry observer argues the AEO/GEO hype is cooling: top AEO tools raised big VC money but found AI search optimization alone won't deliver returns, so they're pivoting their business models, while established players like HubSpot and Meltwater simply add AEO as a new product line.
Key points:
- Organizationally, AEO/GEO roles still report into brand marketing, SEO or demand teams—unlike SEO, which earned its own department, AEO keeps being tied to something else.
- The loudest voices in search chose to sell out to VC-backed AEO companies rather than elevate good SEO (which was effectively good GEO/AEO before ChatGPT existed), diluting the value of search optimization.
For marketers: AEO isn't holding up as a standalone business or function; it's being absorbed into existing SEO and brand structures.
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