To get content cited by ChatGPT, allow OAI-SearchBot in your site's robots.txt file and allow requests from OpenAI's published IP ranges (1). In addition to the Search technical requirements, a site must be included in Search generative AI features in Search Console to be eligible for display in generative AI features on Google Search (2). Andrés Naves explains how to use the Generative AI performance report in Search Console to measure how content is performing in generative AI features on Google Search and Discover (2).
How do I make my content eligible to be cited by ChatGPT search and Google's AI answers?
For ChatGPT, eligibility depends on OpenAI's search crawler (1). OpenAI states that OAI-SearchBot is used to surface websites in search results in ChatGPT's search features, so we recommend allowing it in your robots.txt file and allowing requests from its published IP ranges. Sites opted out of OAI-SearchBot are not shown in ChatGPT search answers, though they can still appear as navigational links. If you change the robots.txt file, allow about 24 hours for OpenAI's systems to adjust.
For Google's AI features, AI Overviews and AI Mode, the requirement is that the page is indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet (3). Google states there are no additional technical requirements. Keep crawling allowed in robots.txt and by any CDN or hosting infrastructure, make pages reachable through internal links, and make sure the important content is available in text form.
Meeting every requirement makes a page eligible to be cited, but it does not guarantee that Google will crawl, index, serve or cite it (3).
The Google guidance here applies to AI Overviews and AI Mode in Google Search, not to the Gemini app (3).
Eligibility steps for ChatGPT search and Google AI features
| Step | Rule it rests on | How to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt and allow OpenAI's published IP ranges | Sites opted out of OAI-SearchBot are not shown in ChatGPT search answers, though they can still appear as navigational links | Check robots.txt and confirm requests are allowed from the IP ranges listed at openai.com/searchbot.json |
| Decide GPTBot separately from OAI-SearchBot | Each setting is independent: you can allow OAI-SearchBot to appear in search while disallowing GPTBot to signal that content should not be used for training | Allow about 24 hours after a robots.txt update for OpenAI's search systems to adjust |
| Keep pages indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet | To be a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode, a page must be indexed and snippet-eligible, with no additional technical requirements | Confirm crawling is allowed in robots.txt and by any CDN or hosting infrastructure |
| Confirm the site is included in Search generative AI features in Search Console | In addition to the Search technical requirements, a site must be included in Search generative AI features in Search Console to be eligible for display | Check this inclusion setting in Search Console |
Which crawler settings affect whether I get cited, and which do not?
OpenAI uses separate robots.txt settings for search and for training (1). GPTBot is used to crawl content that may be used in training OpenAI's generative AI foundation models, and disallowing it indicates that content should not be used for that training. Each setting is independent, so you can allow OAI-SearchBot to appear in search results while disallowing GPTBot.
It is used for certain user-initiated actions, and because those actions are started by a user, robots.txt rules may not apply to it (1). It is not used to determine whether content may appear in Search, so manage Search opt-outs through OAI-SearchBot.
On the Google side, Google-Extended does not affect a site's inclusion in Google Search and is not a ranking signal there (4). Crawling preferences addressed to Googlebot, by contrast, affect Google Search, including its features.
How can I check whether these engines are reaching and showing my content?
For Google, Search Console includes a Generative AI performance report that shows how your content performs in generative AI features on Google Search and Discover (2). Use it as your primary check.
For ChatGPT, OpenAI documents the OAI-SearchBot user-agent strings, including a version with a robots.txt marker, and publishes its IP addresses (1). You can use these to identify its requests in your server logs. The robots.txt marker in the OAI-SearchBot user-agent string helps site owners distinguish requests for the robots.txt file from requests for other resources, especially when their logs do not include paths.
Be wary of third-party tools that promise ranking success or claim to use internal Google metrics (2). No third-party tool has access to Google's internal ranking or AI systems, so evaluate their advice against Google's official guidance.
Sources
Overview of OpenAI Crawlers, OpenAI, accessed 29 October 2026developers.openai.com
Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search, Google Search Central, last updated 10 July 2026developers.google.com
AI features and your website, Google Search Central, last updated 10 December 2025developers.google.com
Google's common crawlers / Google Crawling Infrastructure / Crawling infrastructure / Google for Developers, Google, last updated 15 October 2026developers.google.com
