When I searched for “Working Genius framework” to research a new tool for my company, something shocking happened.
The company behind the framework had to buy ads to show up for their own product.
Their explanation of the six types of working genius was trapped inside a fancy widget that Google’s AI couldn’t read.
While competitors and Wikipedia showed up in the AI results, the actual creators were invisible.
This isn’t just about one company. It shows how AI search engines work.
Your best content might be completely invisible to the AI systems that control how people find information online.
The 5-minute AI visibility test
Let’s check if your content is visible to AI right now:
Go to your most important page.
Right-click and select View Page Source (or press Ctrl+U).
Search for your key selling points or main benefits.
If they’re not in that raw HTML code, AI can’t see them.
Found your content missing? Keep reading.
Found it there? You’re ahead of 60% of websites. But there’s still more to optimize.
What AI search engines actually see (and what they miss)
AI search engines like Google’s AI Overview, ChatGPT search, and Perplexity work like speed readers.
They scan for specific things that help them understand your content fast.
What AI systems look for:
Clear headings (H1-H3) that show your main topics.
Simple lists that break ideas into small pieces.
Special code that labels what your content means.
Plain HTML text that loads right away.
What they skip:
Content hidden in JavaScript widgets.
Click-to-reveal sections and dropdowns.
Content that loads after the user clicks.
Text in images without descriptions.
The problem isn’t that AI systems are weak. They just focus on speed.
They read the raw HTML your server sends. They don’t wait for fancy interactive features to load.
Dig deeper: AI optimization – How to optimize your content for AI search and agents
The real cost of hidden content
Let me show you what this looks like with three Louisiana universities competing for [best online MBA] searches.
The University of Louisiana shows up big in Google’s AI results.
But Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business is not found in AI results. Therefore, they have to buy ads instead.
Here’s why.
University of Louisiana (Winning):
All program details are in plain HTML.
Clear headings like “MBA Program” and “Curriculum.”
Special code that marks up their program info.
Fast-loading pages with content you can see right away.
Tulane University (Invisible to AI):
Key MBA info is buried in JavaScript tabs and sliders.
Generic headings that don’t say much.
No special markup for their program.
Heavy use of interactive features that AI can’t read.
This isn’t about money or reputation. It’s about how they built their websites.
The less famous school wins AI search because they made their content easy for machines to read.
The shift to AI search optimization
Old-school SEO focused on gaming algorithms with keyword stuffing and link schemes.
AI search optimization flips this approach.
Instead of trying to trick rankings, you focus on making your content easy for AI systems to understand.
The new way
Old SEOAI search optimizationKeyword stuffingClear, simple languageLink schemesEasy-to-read contentMeta tag tricksSpecial markup that helps AIFast pages for humansFast pages for machinesMobile-first designAI-first design
This is a big change in how search works.
Success now means creating content that works for both people and AI search engines.
Your 30-minute AI search fix
Ready to make your content visible to AI? Here’s your step-by-step plan:
Step 1: Check your current visibility (5 minutes)
Use the page source test above on your Top 3 pages.
Run a free check with tools like Screaming Frog.
Find content that only shows up with JavaScript.
Step 2: Fix your content structure (15 minutes)
Make sure you have one clear H1 that states your main topic.
Add H2s for big sections (like “Benefits,” “How It Works,” “Pricing”).
Use H3s for smaller sections under each H2.
Turn key points into bullet lists for easy reading.
Step 3: Add basic special code (10 minutes)
Add FAQ markup for your most common questions: