Generative AI refers to AI models that create new content such as text, images, audio, video or code. IBM describes it as AI that can create original content in response to a user’s prompt or request. NIST’s profile adopts the definition from U.S. Executive Order 14110 (revoked in 2025): a class of AI models that emulate the structure and characteristics of their input data to generate derived synthetic content. The language models behind chatbots such as ChatGPT and Claude are examples.
How is it different from AI in general?
Artificial intelligence is the umbrella term. Generative AI is the group of models whose output is newly produced content. Other AI systems classify data or predict values, for instance. This split follows the NIST definition, which puts generated (synthetic) content at the center.
How does it work?
IBM describes three phases. Deep learning models are trained on large datasets to find patterns, then tuned for specific uses with fine-tuning or human feedback, and finally generate and get evaluated continuously. Transformers, introduced in 2017, power many current systems. Earlier architectures include variational autoencoders, generative adversarial networks and diffusion models. IBM names hallucinations, meaning plausible but false output, bias from training data and deepfakes among the risks.
Why does generative AI matter for SEO and GEO?
Generative AI sits behind search features such as Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode. According to Google, no additional requirements apply for appearing in them. The general foundations of Search count, so a page has to be indexed and eligible to be shown with a snippet.
How does the EU AI Act treat generative AI?
The EU AI Act, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, has no separate definition of “generative AI.” It distinguishes general-purpose AI models and general-purpose AI systems. Under Article 3(66), such a system can serve a variety of purposes, both for direct use and for integration in other AI systems. Article 50(2) requires providers of systems that generate synthetic audio, image, video or text content to mark the output in a machine-readable format. The duty applies from August 2, 2026. Providers whose systems were placed on the market before that date have until December 2, 2026 (Article 111(4), added by Regulation (EU) 2026/1744).
This is not legal advice.
- OpenAI releases ChatGPT as a free research preview. The model is based on the GPT-3.5 series.Source: openai.com
- Google announces its conversational AI service Bard and opens it to trusted testers first.Source: blog.google
- Microsoft launches the new Bing with AI chat and complete answers inside search.Source: blogs.microsoft.com
- Google introduces the Search Generative Experience (SGE) as an experiment in Search Labs. At launch it is limited to the US and English.Source: blog.google
- Microsoft renames Bing Chat to Copilot. General availability follows from December 1, 2023.Source: blogs.microsoft.com
- At Google I/O, Google announces AI Overviews for everyone in the US, with more countries to follow.Source: blog.google
- Bing previews its generative search experience. At first it appears for a small share of queries only.Source: blogs.bing.com
- OpenAI tests SearchGPT as a temporary prototype with a small group of users and publishers.Source: openai.com
- AI Overviews roll out in more than 100 countries and territories. Google expects more than 1 billion monthly users.Source: blog.google
- OpenAI launches ChatGPT search, first for paying users and the SearchGPT waitlist. Answers link to their sources.Source: openai.com
- Google launches Deep Research in Gemini Advanced. It browses the web on its own and compiles a report.Source: blog.google
- ChatGPT search becomes available to all logged-in users in regions where ChatGPT is offered.Source: openai.com
- OpenAI introduces deep research in ChatGPT, starting with Pro users.Source: openai.com
- ChatGPT search becomes available without signing up in all regions where ChatGPT is offered.Source: openai.com
- Google introduces AI Mode as an experiment in Search Labs. Google One AI Premium subscribers get access first.Source: blog.google
- Anthropic adds web search with citations to Claude. It launches as a preview for paid users in the US.Source: anthropic.com
- AI Overviews launch in Germany in German and English, together with other European countries. They are shown to signed-in users aged 18 and over.Source: blog.google
- At Google I/O, Google rolls out AI Mode to everyone in the US, with no Labs sign-up needed.Source: blog.google
- AI Overviews are available in more than 200 countries and territories and in more than 40 languages.Source: blog.google
- Web search in Claude becomes available globally on all plans.Source: anthropic.com
- Data from AI Mode counts towards the totals in the Search Console Performance report.Source: developers.google.com
- AI Mode launches in Germany, Austria and Switzerland as part of an expansion to more than 40 new countries and territories.Source: blog.google
- Search Console adds dedicated performance reports for generative AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, first for a subset of sites.Source: developers.google.com
- The Search Console reports on generative AI features become available to all websites worldwide.Source: developers.google.com
Dates follow the publisher's announcement; rollouts often took days or weeks. Google's English post on AI Overviews in Europe carries the US date of March 25, 2025, the German post March 26, 2025. Last checked: .
Example
A user enters a prompt that asks for a short product description. A language model produces a new text that did not exist before.
FAQ
Is ChatGPT generative AI? Yes. ChatGPT produces text, so it falls under the NIST definition.
Sources
- What is generative AI? – IBMibm.com
- What Is Generative AI? – NVIDIA Glossarynvidia.com
- Generative AI Profile (NIST AI 600-1), July 2024doi.org
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), Art. 3(66) and Art. 50 – EUR-Lex, English version, checked 7.10.2026eur-lex.europa.eu
- Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (Digital Omnibus on AI), Art. 1 point (39) (Art. 111(4) AI Act) – EUR-Lex, English version, checked 7.10.2026eur-lex.europa.eu
- AI features and your website – Google Search Centraldevelopers.google.com
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