generative engine optimization

Media industry executive Michael Kassan has invested in OptimizeGEO, a startup valued at $80 million. The investment by the MediaLink founder signals continued investor interest in generative engine optimization, as brands look to adapt marketing for AI-driven search platforms. Details about the size of Kassan's stake or OptimizeGEO's broader plans were not immediately available.

Investor Kassan has backed Generative Engine Optimization startup OptimizeGEO in a deal valuing the company at $80 million. The funding highlights growing investor interest in GEO, a fast-emerging field focused on helping brands stay visible in AI-driven search results, as companies race to adapt to search shifting from traditional engines toward AI assistants and chatbots.

Publishers are moving generative engine optimization, or GEO, beyond early experimentation and treating it as a core commercial priority, according to Digiday's latest media briefing. As AI chatbots and answer engines increasingly deliver news directly to users, publishers are working to ensure their content is cited and to build revenue models around that visibility. The shift signals GEO is becoming a standard part of audience and advertising strategy.