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The AI Radar.

What ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google reward changes constantly. The AI Radar tracks the official sources and the best industry publications, and adapts our scan as soon as the rules shift — with proof attached. That way you know your report follows today's rules, not last year's.

signals picked up

67/67

quotes verified

sources tracked

13 August 2026

latest sweep

How the radar works

Every claim on this page travelled the same road:

01
Track the sources
We follow the official documentation of Google, OpenAI, Perplexity, Anthropic and Bing, plus the best industry sources such as Semrush, Ahrefs, Search Engine Land and Search Engine Journal.
02
Literal quote required
A signal only counts if it comes with a literal quote from the source — no summaries, no interpretations, no rumours.
03
Independently verified
Each quote is then re-fetched independently from the source and compared word for word. If it doesn't match exactly, it doesn't get in.

Only then do we decide: adapt the scan, note a confirmation, keep watching — or deliberately set it aside.

Checks adjusted

The world shifted, so our scan shifted with it. This is what we changed recently.

15 June 2026Source: Google Search Central
Google confirms: an llms.txt file has no effect at all on your visibility or ranking in Google.
“these files aren't needed for Google Search (and won't negatively or positively impact your visibility or rankings)”
Literal quote — Google Search Central
What we did with it: We rewrote our llms.txt advice: it no longer produces an improvement point; we still mention it as an optional tip.
8 May 2026Source: Google Search Central
Since May 7, Google no longer shows FAQ blocks in search results. But Q&A on your site remains valuable: AI assistants pull their answers from it.
“This feature will no longer appear in Google Search starting May 7, 2026.”
Literal quote — Google Search Central
What we did with it: We reframed our FAQ advice: no longer 'for the Google block', but as machine-readable Q&A that AI assistants quote from.

New check

Three AI platforms independently say the same thing: block their search crawlers and you don't exist in their answers. So the scan now checks this.

continuously validSource: OpenAI — crawlerdocumentatie
If you block ChatGPT's search crawler, you disappear from ChatGPT's search answers.
“Sites that are opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though can still appear as navigational links.”
Literal quote — OpenAI — crawlerdocumentatie
What we did with it: New check added: we now verify that your site doesn't accidentally shut out the AI search crawlers of ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude.
continuously validSource: Anthropic — crawlerdocumentatie
Claude warns as well: blocking its search crawler makes your site less visible in Claude search results.
“Disabling Claude-SearchBot on your site prevents our system from indexing your content for search optimization, which may reduce your site's visibility and accuracy in user search results.”
Literal quote — Anthropic — crawlerdocumentatie
What we did with it: Part of the same new check: three AI platforms independently say the same thing.
continuously validSource: Perplexity — crawlerdocumentatie
Perplexity's search crawler needs access to show your site in Perplexity results — it is not used to train AI models.
“PerplexityBot is designed to surface and link websites in search results on Perplexity. It is not used to crawl content for AI foundation models.”
Literal quote — Perplexity — crawlerdocumentatie
What we did with it: Part of the same new check.
continuously validSource: OpenAI — crawlerdocumentatie
Search visibility and AI training are separate: you can allow the search crawler while refusing to let your content train AI models.
“a webmaster can allow OAI-SearchBot in order to appear in search results while disallowing GPTBot to indicate that crawled content should not be used for training OpenAI's generative AI foundation models”
Literal quote — OpenAI — crawlerdocumentatie
What we did with it: That's why our check only penalizes blocking search crawlers. Blocking training crawlers is your right — we don't judge that.
4 June 2026Source: Semrush
Fix AI-crawler access first, then work on content: AI can't cite pages it can't reach.
“A low score usually means your robots.txt or meta tags are blocking ChatGPT-User, OAI-SearchBot, or Google-Extended. Fix crawler access before content work. Because AI systems can't cite pages they can't reach.”
Literal quote — Semrush
What we did with it: Independent confirmation of the new check by a major SEO player.

Confirms our approach

Recent publications that back up what the scan already checks.

21 May 2026Source: Meta — crawlerdocumentatie
Meta now says it explicitly too: allow their search crawler and Meta AI can cite you and link to you. Block it, and it can't.
“Allowing Meta-WebIndexer in your robots.txt file helps us cite and link to your content in Meta AI's responses.”
Literal quote — Meta — crawlerdocumentatie
What we did with it: Meta added to our AI search crawler check — the fourth platform independently saying the same thing. Their training crawler is not held against you: blocking it is a legitimate choice.
6 August 2026Source: Google Small Business Bulletin
AI models look on your site for real, first-hand experience — not general text anyone could write.
“Share unique experience over generic advice: AI models look for authentic, first-hand knowledge rather than general summaries that anyone can write.”
Literal quote — Google Small Business Bulletin
What we did with it: Confirms what we already measure: our checks on hollow words and on your own verifiable facts follow exactly this line.
15 June 2026Source: Ahrefs
Hard data on llms.txt: in a study of 137,000 sites, 97% of those files were never fetched by any AI bot.
“97% of those files received zero traffic in May 2026. Nothing fetched them at all.”
Literal quote — Ahrefs
What we did with it: Confirms our earlier adjustment: llms.txt isn't on your work list. Put your energy into normal, readable pages.
continuously validSource: OpenAI Developer Platform
OpenAI clarifies: block ChatGPT's search crawler and you vanish from the AI answers themselves — at best a bare link remains. Invisible where it matters.
“Sites that are opted out of OAI-SearchBot will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though can still appear as navigational links.”
Literal quote — OpenAI Developer Platform
What we did with it: Confirms our crawler checks: we verify AI search bots are allowed in — especially with generic 'block all bots' rules that cause this by accident.
29 June 2026Source: Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
Google itself: you don't need special AI files or tricks to appear in Google and its AI answers.
“You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, markup, or Markdown to appear in Google Search (including its generative AI capabilities), as Google Search itself doesn't use them.”
Literal quote — Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
What we did with it: Confirms our course: no hype tactics in the scan, only what demonstrably works.
16 June 2026Source: Semrush
An FAQ with your customers' real questions is one of the biggest sources of AI answers.
“Add an FAQ section that addresses the questions buyers actually ask, because FAQs are a major source of agent answers in this category and close wording matches how people phrase their queries”
Literal quote — Semrush
What we did with it: Confirms our FAQ checks and the reframed advice.
20 January 2026Source: Ahrefs
Many AI crawlers can't read business data if it only reaches the page via JavaScript — a hidden problem on many modern sites.
“many AI crawlers can’t access schema data if it’s client-side rendered (e.g. via Javascript)—even though many sites rely on this setup.”
Literal quote — Ahrefs
What we did with it: Confirms our check that also looks at your site without JavaScript — the way AI crawlers do.
28 August 2025Source: Ahrefs
Fast, light, clearly structured sites are the easiest for AI engines to read and cite.
“Sites that load quickly, avoid heavy JavaScript reliance, and maintain a logical internal structure make it easier for AI engines to parse information.”
Literal quote — Ahrefs
What we did with it: Confirms our checks on load time and page structure.
29 June 2026Source: Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
Clear headings and logical sections make your page navigable — for people and for AI.
“People generally appreciate it when web pages are organized by paragraphs and sections, along with headings that provide a clear structure to navigate content.”
Literal quote — Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
What we did with it: Confirms our heading-structure checks.

On the radar

Developments we track before acting on them. Numbers that matter.

continuously validSource: Facebook — robots.txt
Facebook doesn't shut AI crawlers out — they're allowed in. But they find an empty box: from a public Facebook page, an AI crawler receives only the name and the town.
“User-agent: GPTBot / Disallow: /*/plugins/* / Disallow: /?*next= / Disallow: /a/bz?”
Literal quote — Facebook — robots.txt
What we did with it: Measured by us on 13/08: a public Facebook page yields three visible words to an AI crawler — everything else sits behind JavaScript. Our explanation on the 'no website' page was right in its conclusion but wrong in its reason, and has been rewritten.
24 July 2026Source: Google Search Central
Since 24 July, Google explicitly bans reviews you gave customers something for without disclosing it. Do it anyway and Google can remove your stars from search results.
“Don't include fake or undisclosed incentivized reviews on your page or in your structured data markup.”
Literal quote — Google Search Central
What we did with it: On our list as a candidate check: if your site shows reviews with stars, the disclosure belongs there. Not built yet — we don't add work to your list hastily.
6 August 2026Source: Google Small Business Bulletin
Google now says it in plain words: put your hours, services and menu as normal text on your site. Inside a photo, an AI cannot read them.
“Type your hours, services, and menus directly as readable text on your website. Don't bury them inside flat photos or image graphics that search engines can't read.”
Literal quote — Google Small Business Bulletin
What we did with it: Top of our list as a candidate check: a menu or opening hours that exist only as an image are invisible to AI. We'll build it only after a design that avoids false alarms.
10 August 2026Source: OpenAI — ChatGPT Release Notes
Since 10 August, ChatGPT shows free tables and lets people book right away. Globally that runs through OpenTable only — if you're not on it, you don't exist in that conversation.
“Reservations are available globally with OpenTable and in the US with Resy and in the US and Canada with Yelp.”
Literal quote — OpenAI — ChatGPT Release Notes
What we did with it: Noted as a channel outside your own website. In Belgium few businesses are on OpenTable, so this doesn't produce an improvement point; we mention it as a tip for hospitality.
24 July 2026Source: Europese Commissie — AI Act-FAQ
Since 2 August, a chatbot must make clear it isn't human. That duty falls on whoever builds or sells the chatbot, not on you if you use an off-the-shelf tool.
“Providers of AI systems that directly interact with people must design and develop those systems in such a way that the individuals concerned are informed that they are interacting with an AI system, unless this is obvious.”
Literal quote — Europese Commissie — AI Act-FAQ
What we did with it: Purely informational, not a check and not legal advice: do check whether the chat widget on your site says itself that it's AI. The official explanation is with the European Commission.
29 July 2026Source: Similarweb
Even after a year of growth, only about 7 in 100 US ChatGPT answers contain a cited source.
“Citation presence in US ChatGPT prompts rose from about 1.6% in June 2025 to roughly 6.8% by May 2026.”
Literal quote — Similarweb
What we did with it: Important context for your result: zero mentions doesn't mean you're invisible — cited sources are rare anyway, and this figure covers the US.
6 August 2026Source: Yelp
Yelp says its reviews now power local recommendations in ChatGPT. OpenAI confirms this nowhere itself.
“our trusted content is powering local discovery for ChatGPT and other AI partners”
Literal quote — Yelp
What we did with it: On the radar: if AI assistants license reviews from platforms, your profile there weighs more than your own text. Yelp is marginal in Belgium, so no action for now.
24 June 2026Source: OpenAI — ChatGPT Release Notes
ChatGPT now deliberately uses your location to surface nearby businesses, combining business info and images into a single answer.
“Shopping and local business queries should also feel more useful. The model makes better use of location context to surface relevant nearby options and can bring together product recommendations, business information, and images more coherently when those elements are helpful.”
Literal quote — OpenAI — ChatGPT Release Notes
What we did with it: Underlines why your business data must be correct everywhere: ChatGPT builds its local recommendations on what it finds about your business.
8 July 2026Source: Search Engine Land
Research: ChatGPT switches between hidden search pipelines behind the scenes — which shapes exactly which sites get cited. Visible today doesn't mean visible tomorrow.
“Your page may never be considered if ChatGPT skips search, uses another retrieval source, or finds a clearer third-party page to support the claim.”
Literal quote — Search Engine Land
What we did with it: Strengthens our advice to be broadly present: your own site, your Google profile and review sites — never lean on one channel.
9 July 2026Source: Google Small Business Bulletin
Google now calls small businesses itself with an AI assistant to verify practical details (parking, pickup, walk-ins) — and shows that info in Search and Maps. A new 'Collected info' screen lets you review it.
“To help local customers find you, Google may occasionally call your business using an automated assistant to verify everyday details—like whether you offer curbside pickup, have dedicated customer parking, or accept walk-ins.”
Literal quote — Google Small Business Bulletin
What we did with it: On the radar as a candidate check: is the 'collected info' on your Google profile correct? Take those AI calls seriously — your answers land straight in Google.
7 July 2026Source: Google Search Central Blog
Search Console now also measures how your social and video posts perform in Google — even if your business has no website of its own ('platform properties').
“we're thrilled to introduce platform properties, a new Search Console property type to help site owners and creators understand how their social and video posts perform on Google Search and Discover.”
Literal quote — Google Search Central Blog
What we did with it: On the radar: relevant for businesses that only live on Instagram or Facebook. Your own site remains our advice — this is a measuring tool, not a replacement.
9 July 2026Source: TechCrunch
OpenAI is shutting down its separate AI browser and moving that power into a ChatGPT extension for Chrome: AI that reads along live and performs tasks on the pages you visit.
“OpenAI is launching a ChatGPT extension on Chrome that gives it access to the context of the page you're viewing, lets users ask questions about web pages, summarize content, or start longer tasks all from the browser.”
Literal quote — TechCrunch
What we did with it: On the radar: AI agents will soon read your site in your customer's ordinary browser. Clear, factual pages aren't just for crawlers — also for AI reading along live.
30 June 2026Source: Semrush
Same question, different reasoning mode: between ChatGPT's fast and deep modes only 25% of cited sources overlap. Three in four citations differ.
“For the same prompt, only 25.6% of cited domains are shared between minimal- and high-reasoning modes. Almost three in four cited sources are different.”
Literal quote — Semrush
What we did with it: Reinforces the same lesson as the pipeline study: AI visibility is fluid. Broad presence and regular rescans are the only stable strategy.
2 July 2026Source: Which?
Consumer watchdog Which?: Tripadvisor's AI review summaries can bury serious complaints. AI summarises your reputation — and that summary is what people read.
“Tripadvisor's new AI review summaries are masking reports of food poisoning, sexual harassment and serious hygiene failures, a Which? investigation has found.”
Literal quote — Which?
What we did with it: On the radar: review platforms let AI summarise your reputation. Fresh, genuine, plentiful reviews weigh double — they feed the summary.
16 June 2026Source: Bing Search Blog
Bing Webmaster Tools now shows your 'Citation Share': the share of AI citations your site captures — with 'local' as its own category. AI visibility becomes measurable.
“Citation Share shows how much of the citation space your site receives for a specific grounding query. It is calculated as the percentage of citations attributed to your site out of all citations Copilot generated for that query.”
Literal quote — Bing Search Blog
What we did with it: Confirms how much Bing matters for ChatGPT/Copilot visibility, and sits on the radar as a candidate check: tracking your Citation Share in Bing Webmaster Tools.
30 June 2026Source: Search Engine Journal
For local questions, ChatGPT shows only two businesses. You're in the top 2, or you don't exist.
“Ask for the best coffee near you, and ChatGPT returns two places, not a top 10. For local, you’re in the top 2, or you aren’t there.”
Literal quote — Search Engine Journal
What we did with it: On the radar: we track how AI assistants select local businesses.
19 May 2026Source: Search Engine Land
63% of nearly 400 million AI citations point to listicles ('best X in Y'). Being in those lists is gold.
“Of the roughly 25,000 unique URLs we reviewed, half were listicles. Across nearly 400 million citations from all models, 63% pointed to listicles.”
Literal quote — Search Engine Land
What we did with it: On the radar: possibly future advice on presence in local list articles.
10 June 2026Source: Search Engine Land
16% of all AI prompts are location-based: 'near me' searching has migrated from Google to AI assistants.
“16% of prompts are explicitly location-based. The “near me” query pattern has successfully migrated from Google to LLMs.”
Literal quote — Search Engine Land
What we did with it: On the radar: underlines why local AI findability matters now.
6 April 2026Source: Search Engine Land
Not Google but Bing largely determines which brands ChatGPT mentions. Ignore Bing and you miss ChatGPT.
“You can dominate query fanouts on Google SERPs and still underperform in ChatGPT brand mentions.”
Literal quote — Search Engine Land
What we did with it: Confirms why our scan also checks your Bing presence.

Deliberately not adopted

Not every hype becomes a check. What we set aside — and why — belongs here too.

29 June 2026Source: Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
Brand mentions across the web are said to be THE big AI factor — but Google warns that inauthentic mentions don't help.
“seeking inauthentic "mentions" across the web isn't as helpful as it might seem.”
Literal quote — Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
What we did with it: Deliberately no 'count your mentions' check: mention authenticity can't be measured from a site scan, and inflating them artificially doesn't help.
29 June 2026Source: Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
Google adds nuance: structured data isn't required for AI search — but remains useful for regular results and helps machines recognize facts.
“Structured data isn't required for generative AI search, and there's no special schema.org markup you need to add. However, it's a good idea to continue using it as part of your overall SEO strategy, as it helps with being eligible for rich results on Google Search.”
Literal quote — Google — AI-optimalisatiegids
What we did with it: Noted, nothing changed hastily: other sources show structured data does help AI recognize business facts. We'll review the weighting deliberately, not reactively.
15 May 2026Source: Google Search Central
Google's spam policies also apply to AI answers in search results.
“the spam policies apply to all of Google Search, including generative AI responses”
Literal quote — Google Search Central
What we did with it: No separate check needed: this simply confirms that tricks don't pay off in the AI era either.

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