What should we call efforts to sway large language models and generative AI?
Lots of terms have been suggested. Which do you prefer?
Here are some options…
LLMO – Large Language Model Optimization
Pros
- There’s a reasonable degree of familiarity with the term LLM.
- LLMO could be fairly unambiguous.
Cons
- We may move away from the term ‘LLM’ as the most widely-used AI models become more ‘multimodal’ (i.e. they deal with images, audio and more as well as just text.)
- LLMO is quite a mouthful to say (unless it starts being pronounced ‘Elmo..?’)
GAIO – Generative AI Optimization
Pros
- ‘Generative AI’ has become a fairly popular and widely-understood term.
- It should remain just as relevant as models become more multimodal.
- It could perhaps be pronounced ‘guy-oh’ which would be more convenient to say than L-L-M-O.
Cons
- People might not know how to spell it.
- It might be hard for people to guess what it means.
SGEO – Search Generative Experience Optimization
Pros
- Google use of the term ‘Search Generative Experience‘ (SGE) has popularized that terms within the SEO industry.
- Its similarity to SEO could help people understand what it is.
Cons
- There’s little awareness of the SGE term outside of the SEO community.
- It’s a mouthful to say.
- ‘SGE’ has slight Google-specific connotations.
- It suggests it’s about search whereas it may be important to influence AI models in non-search contexts, too.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimization
Pros
- It’s convenient to pronounce.
- It’s easy to spell.
- When pronounced ‘G-E-O’, the similarity to ‘SEO’ would helpfully suggest a relatedness between the two.
Cons
- ‘Geo’ has what would be confusing connotations of being related to the Earth, ground or geography.
SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Pros
- It’s a very widely-understood term. Why invent something new?
- Traditional SEO is likely to be a key element of influencing AI models.
Cons
- It suggests it’s about search whereas it may be important to influence AI models in non-search contexts, too.
AI SEO
Pros
- Both ‘AI’ and ‘SEO’ are widely understood.
- Including ‘AI’ makes clear the distinction between this and non-AI-related aspects of SEO.
Cons
- This term might make people think of “using AI to do SEO” which is a popular topic but not what we’re trying to get at here.
- As with just ‘SEO’, the ‘SEO’ bit of the term implies it’s about influencing AI search engines whereas we may be interested in influencing LLMs in non-search contexts as well.
AEO – Answer Engine Optimization
Pros
- The similarity to SEO could help it be easily understood.
Cons
- The ‘Answer Engine’ term seems a neat one but doesn’t seem to have caught on.
Conclusions
There are a number of terms that are candidates to describe this new practice, all with their pros and cons.
Will things shift as the influence of LLMs grows and people increasingly want to talk about this topic? Will one of the more specific yet less-easily-understood terms gain ground?
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.