DEFINITION
AI citation
A source reference or link shown in, or alongside, an AI-generated answer.
Reviewed August 28, 2026
A citation is stronger evidence than a plain brand mention because it exposes a source a user can inspect. It does not, by itself, prove that the source caused a purchase or was the only material used to produce the answer.
Linked and unlinked evidence
Record linked citations separately from unlinked mentions. Save the answer, destination URL, platform, prompt, and observation time so the result can be audited later.
Citation quality
Useful review considers whether the citation supports the nearby claim, whether the destination is canonical and accessible, and whether the answer represents the source accurately.