As search evolves beyond keywords, Tuhin Banik is focusing on LLM SEO, AEO and generative search

For years, search engine optimisation revolved around keywords, backlinks, and ranking positions. But the rapid rise of artificial intelligence is now pushing the industry into unfamiliar territory.

Large language models, conversational AI systems, and generative platforms are changing how search engines interpret information and deliver answers. Instead of simply indexing webpages, modern systems increasingly analyse intent, context, and language.

According to Tuhin Banik, founder of ThatWare, the next phase of search will be driven by AI systems that understand knowledge rather than just keywords.

“Search engines are becoming far more intelligent,” Banik says. “They are moving from keyword matching to understanding context and relationships between ideas.”

This shift has led to the development of new optimisation frameworks designed specifically for AI powered search ecosystems.

A new layer of optimisation

Banik believes traditional SEO strategies alone are no longer sufficient in a world increasingly influenced by artificial intelligence.

“The internet is moving toward conversational and generative search,” he says. “Businesses need to think about how their content is understood by AI systems.”

Through ThatWare, Banik has been working on integrating several emerging frameworks into digital optimisation strategies, including LLM SEO, Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), and AI driven SEO.

The company positions itself as the world’s first agency working across all four of these areas, an approach designed to address how modern AI systems retrieve and generate information.

The role of LLM SEO

Large language models are already influencing search engines and AI assistants. These systems process language in a more human-like way, analysing meaning rather than simply matching keywords.

“LLM SEO focuses on ensuring that information can be interpreted correctly by large language models,” Banik explains. “It is about structuring knowledge so AI systems can understand it.”

Instead of optimising for a list of search results, businesses now need to consider how their information appears inside AI generated responses.

From search results to answers

Another shift shaping the industry is the rise of answer engines.

Artificial intelligence systems increasingly generate direct responses to user queries. This has given rise to Answer Engine Optimisation, or AEO, which focuses on ensuring that content can be extracted and presented clearly within AI generated answers.

“As conversational AI becomes more common, appearing inside answers becomes just as important as ranking on a page,” Banik says.

Generative AI and the GEO framework

Generative AI platforms add another layer to this transformation.

“These systems do not just retrieve information,” Banik says. “They generate explanations by combining knowledge from multiple sources.”

Generative Engine Optimisation focuses on ensuring that digital content can be accurately interpreted and referenced by generative AI systems.

For organisations that rely on online visibility, this means adapting strategies to align with how AI models process information.

Preparing for the next generation of search

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, Banik believes the lines between search engines, answer engines, and AI assistants will gradually blur.

“Search will become far more conversational and contextual,” he says. “The systems we interact with will increasingly understand language the way humans do.”

For Banik and his team at ThatWare, the goal is to build optimisation strategies designed for that future.

“AI driven search is still developing,” he says. “But the shift is already happening.”