AI GEO

What is Large Language Model (LLM)?

A Large Language Model or LLM is a type of artificial intelligence trained on vast amounts of text data that can understand and generate human language.

Definition

A Large Language Model or LLM is a type of artificial intelligence trained on vast amounts of text data that can understand and generate human language. LLMs are the core technology behind tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. When someone asks an AI tool a question, it is an LLM processing the query and generating the response, drawing on patterns learned during training as well as in many cases live web retrieval.

Why It Matters for Small Businesses

You do not need to understand the technical details of how LLMs work but you do need to understand that they are now intermediaries between your business and your customers. LLMs decide which sources to cite, which businesses to recommend, and which answers to surface.

Example

When a user asks ChatGPT to recommend a reliable local HVAC company in their city, the LLM draws on content it has indexed or retrieved from the web. A company with clearly structured authoritative content is far more likely to be surfaced than one with a sparse website and no substantive pages.

Related Terms

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)The strategy for getting LLMs to cite your content

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)How LLMs pull live web content into answers

LLM CitationThe moment an LLM attributes an answer to your site

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