Ahead of US midterms, candidates seek to get AI chatbot 'support', Pg14

Key Highlights:

• US political candidates are actively tailoring campaign messages to influence AI chatbots ahead of midterm elections.
• This strategy, termed Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), aims to ensure chatbots present candidates favorably on key issues.
• Campaigns are creating AI-friendly policy content and tracking chatbot responses to systematically align them with their platforms.
• Approximately 25% of eligible voters have used chatbots for information on political candidates.

Detailed Insights:

• The approach goes beyond traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) by focusing on how Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini interpret and present information.
• Political consulting firms, such as Relentless Awareness and Visigent, are offering services to help campaigns manage their AI presence.
• These services can range from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars monthly, depending on the scope of monitoring and media buying.
• The core idea is to shape the online information environment by feeding AI assistants data that influences how candidates are described and recommended.
• Experts express concerns regarding the potential for misinformation and the difficulty for voters to discern AI-generated content from human-originated content.
• The trend is expected to become ubiquitous by the 2028 election cycle, including the presidential election.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): The practice of structuring digital content to perform well on AI search and answer engines, influencing how Large Language Models (LLMs) retrieve and present information.
• Search Engine Optimization (SEO): The process of improving a website's visibility and ranking in traditional search engine results pages (SERPs) through organic means.
• AI Chatbots: Computer programs designed to simulate human conversation through text or voice, often powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), used here to provide information on political candidates.