Definition
An LLM (Large Language Model) is an AI model trained on billions of parameters and massive text corpora. LLMs (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Mistral) are the foundational technology behind generative search engines, AI chatbots, and content creation tools. For SEO, understanding LLMs is essential because they power AI Overviews, Perplexity, ChatGPT Search, and all GEO tools. LLMs evaluate content quality, relevance, and reliability to decide which sources to cite in their responses.
Key Points
- Foundational technology of AI-powered search engines
- GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, Llama are major LLMs
- Understanding LLMs is essential for GEO
Practical Examples
LLM and search
When a user asks Perplexity a question, an LLM analyzes relevant web pages, synthesizes the information, and generates a coherent response citing its sources.
LLM and content
A writer uses an LLM (ChatGPT, Claude) to generate a draft SEO article, which they then enrich with their expertise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Major LLMs include GPT-4 and its successors (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), Llama (Meta), and Mistral (Mistral AI). Each has its strengths and is used in different products.
LLMs transform search by generating synthetic answers instead of simple link lists. This requires optimizing your content to be cited as a reliable source by these models (GEO).
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Last updated: 2026-02-07