Why Chasing GEO is Just Renting Space in Someone Else's Digital World
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) promises brands a slice of a $750B pie, but are they just leasing space on the internet? Explore why self-custody of audience is essential.
Is GEO the next big thing or just a digital mirage? Everyone and their mother seems to be talking about generative engine optimization, or GEO, as the wave that's set to replace traditional search-based internet strategies. McKinsey's got numbers that light up the eyes: $750 billion flowing through AI-powered search by 2028. But the big question remains, are brands actually owning their audience, or just renting space they can't control?
The Raw Data
to the numbers. Half of consumers are already using AI-powered search engines. McKinsey predicts a staggering $750 billion in U.S. revenue by 2028 thanks to these AI systems. But what does that really mean for businesses? Brands are scrambling to invest in GEO and its cousin, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), to secure their slice of this pie. The idea is simple, convert user prompts into clear, branded responses. Yet, McKinsey's own data reveals a sobering fact: only 5 to 10 percent of what AI search engines reference comes from a brand's owned content. The rest? Affiliates, user-generated content, publishers, and other sources beyond a brand's control. Surprised? You shouldn't be.
Context: Renting vs. Owning
Here's some historical context. Remember when SEO was all the rage? Brands built entire empires on search optimization, only to watch them crumble when Google changed its algorithms. A perfect case study is HubSpot, which dominated SEO for years until Google renovated the digital space. They had been renting attention. When the landlord changed the game, their traffic plummeted. This is the dilemma GEO faces. It's like renewing a lease in a building whose owner can change the rent whenever they please. The state isn't protecting you. It's protecting itself.
Industry Feedback
According to industry insiders, the buzzword today is 'ownership'. It's not just about optimizing for AI. it's about building something worth finding. Take Red Bull Media House, for example. They've crafted a media powerhouse that doesn't shiver every time an algorithm updates. Their content is tailored to what people actually want at that moment, making them a go-to destination for users. But are most brands following this playbook? Not quite. They're too busy optimizing a minority stake, forgetting that the real game happens somewhere else.
What's Next?
So, what should companies be watching for in this AI-dominated future? The space of digital discovery is teetering on the edge of a new model. While McKinsey's report ends with lofty predictions of AI agents making purchase decisions for consumers, real-world tests show otherwise. In September 2025, OpenAI launched Instant Checkout inside ChatGPT, partnering with Shopify and Etsy. The result? Users flooded the platform to research products, but purchase completions were scarce. By early 2026, OpenAI rerouted transactions back to retailer apps. The trust factor won over AI convenience. It turns out people still prefer buying from places they trust. The state can't force that. Trust is earned, not optimized.
The takeaway is simple. Stop renting, start building. The digital landlords are getting greedier, and those leases are growing shorter and shorter. The future belongs to those who control their own digital narrative, who craft content that resonates beyond algorithmic whims. Follow the incentives, not the press releases. That's where your digital sovereignty lies.