Ahrefs Podcast World's Top SEO Expert Busts AI Search Myths | Patrick Stox (Ahrefs)
Nov 11, 2025
Patrick Stox, a seasoned expert in technical SEO and search optimization, shares valuable insights on the dynamics between AI chatbots and search engines. He explains how AI bots can render JavaScript and the importance of both consensus and unique content for citations. Patrick dives into the workings of large language models, emphasizes the significance of plain language, and advocates for leveraging YouTube as a more effective channel than AI for brand visibility. He concludes that AEO is fundamentally good marketing integrated with holistic strategies.
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Some AI Agents Render JavaScript
- Some AI assistants (Google Gemini, Bing Copilot) do render JavaScript and can see JS-generated content.
- This reduces the blanket assumption that LLM-based search never executes client-side code.
Match Consensus Then Add Value
- Create content that both matches common answers and adds unique, valuable information to stand out.
- Pick an approach, publish it, and iterate rather than overanalyzing what the models will prefer.
LLMs Are Layered Probability Engines
- Large language models are essentially next-word predictors trained on broad corpora, producing outputs from layered probabilities.
- Retrieved pages and a temperature parameter introduce further probabilistic variation and occasional hallucinations.
