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The State of AEO/GEO in 2026: CMO Investment Report

94% of enterprises plan to increase AEO/GEO investments in 2026

Is your brand showing up when AI answers the question? Or are you watching competitors claim that space while you figure out what to do next?

Conductor surveyed more than 250 executives and digital decision-makers to find out exactly how enterprise brands are investing in AEO and GEO this year.

The findings reveal where budgets are moving, which strategies actually work, and what differentiates the brands pulling ahead.

If you lead search, content, or digital marketing, this is the data you need to build your business case and prioritize the right strategies.

What You’ll Find Inside

Budget benchmarks by org size and maturity: How much enterprises spent on AEO/GEO in 2025, and how aggressively they plan to increase in 2026.
The resourcing playbook: Why 93% of leaders are building AEO/GEO capabilities in-house, and the new roles they’re hiring for.
Technology winners and pain points: Which platform approaches are gaining traction, and why data quality remains the top frustration.
Content strategies by maturity level: What high-maturity orgs are doing differently, from first-party research to structured data and Schema.
The metrics that actually matter: Why conversions, brand sentiment, and AI search market share are replacing traffic as the KPIs that count.

Expert Perspectives Featured in the Report

The report includes commentary and analysis from top practitioners who are shaping AEO/GEO strategy at the enterprise level.

Aleyda Solis | Founder & International SEO Consultant, Orainti

“Brand sentiment is one of the key differentiators vs. traditional search. You might get mentioned in an answer, but if it’s negative, the impact on your brand might not be positive.”

Eli Schwartz | Author of “Product Led SEO” and Consultant

“Companies should absolutely be experimenting with AEO visibility, but they shouldn’t neglect SEO to do so.”

Lindsay Boyajian Hagan | VP of Marketing & Co-Head of Revenue, Conductor

“The brands winning right now aren’t the ones with the most traffic. They’re the ones showing up in AI answers with the right content at the right moment in the customer journey.”

Greg DiMedio | Head of SEO & AI Search Strategy, Taylor Corporation

“We need the data and insights to understand how generative AI is reshaping discovery. It’s hard to optimize without knowing where and how we show up.”

See Where Your AEO/GEO Strategy Stands

Get the full data set, expert analysis, and benchmarks from 250+ enterprise leaders. Find out how the smartest teams are planning for AI search right now.