ChatGPT citations can swing hard after one model update

This chart shows Reddit’s share of citations in ChatGPT, using Promptwatch data. The sharp part is the scale: after one model update, Reddit’s citation share dropped by 95% in just a week.

That’s a good reminder that AEO is not as stable as classic SEO. If the model changes its source mix that quickly, visibility is partly a moving target, not a fixed ranking system.

This is the practical version of the SEO vs. AEO debate: organic rules may stay noisy, but AI citation patterns can change overnight.

Data source: Promptwatch

Related read: Are we optimising for the right engine? Insights from the latest SEO / AEO research