# Answer engine

URL: https://idukki.io/glossary/answer-engine
Category: AEO and AI search
Also called: generative search, LLM search

A search surface that composes one answer instead of returning a ranked list of links. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini and Google's AI Overview are all answer engines.

## Not the same as

- **Traditional search engine**: A traditional engine returns links; an answer engine returns one composed answer that may cite multiple sources.

## Related terms

- [AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)](https://idukki.io/glossary/aeo)
- [AI shopper](https://idukki.io/glossary/ai-shopper)
- [Citation graph](https://idukki.io/glossary/citation-graph)