AI search glossary
What is an answer engine?
An answer engine is a tool that replies to your question with a written answer instead of a list of links. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude all work this way when people use them to search.
Also called: AI search engine
How is it different from a search engine?
A traditional search engine shows you a list of pages and lets you choose. An answer engine reads those pages for you and writes a summary. The customer gets a conclusion, not a choice of sources.
An example
Search “best family hotel in Malta” on a traditional search engine and you get ten links. Ask an answer engine the same question and you get a short reply that names a few hotels and explains why.
Why it matters for businesses
When an answer engine names your competitors and not you, the customer may never look further. That is why being part of the answer now matters as much as ranking in the results.
Find out what AI is telling your customers.
Get a free AI visibility review from our team. We check what ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude say about your business, then talk you through what it means.
