In this episode of GTM Vault, host Rick Koleta speaks with Jason Patel, co-founder and CEO of Open Forge AI, about why generative engines are becoming the new gatekeepers of discovery. We dig into how GEO, Generative Engine Optimization, reshapes brand visibility inside AI answers and how LLMs interpret companies through entities, knowledge graphs, and machine-readable content.

Jason breaks down the three-part GEO system behind recall in generative engines, the role of structured data and third-party citations, and why visibility is shifting from ranking in blue links to being selected as the answer. We also explore how distribution and attribution change when chat replaces search, what it means to rent vs own AI traffic, and why AEO, Agentic Engine Optimization, will shape the next era of vendor evaluation.

Clear playbooks, practical examples, and the early moves operators should run to stay visible in an AI-native discovery landscape.