How wrong answers end up in AI Overviews (and how to get your business cited instead)

Lia Bartley

Have you ever Googled something and read an AI Overview that was just clearly wrong?

It happens more often than people may realise – and is exactly how misinformation gets spread like wildfire.

If you’re a subject matter expert (or just someone with a bit of common sense), you may scroll through it all and wonder how on earth an AI (artificial intelligence) tool has confidently shared something that is clearly wrong.

AI Overviews were designed to make search faster by giving people instant answers. The intent is good, but the execution can go sideways when the system lifts ideas from places it should never treat as authoritative. If you have ever watched Reddit theories, outdated forum chats or pure speculation turn into “facts” inside an AI answer box, you have already seen the problem.

But how did we get here, and how do you give your business a better chance of being cited correctly in AI systems like Google, Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude?

Why wrong answers happen in AI Overviews

AI struggles with context

AI tools are brilliant at matching keywords. They are not brilliant at understanding the intent behind the words.

When a system spots your brand name next to phrases like “closing”, “issues” or “price rise”, it may present that content as fact even when the source is a fan theory or a sarcastic comment.

It treats the match as relevant. It does not reliably grasp the meaning.

Speculation looks the same as confirmation

If someone on Reddit writes a creative prediction about your business, that content can look similar to an official announcement unless the AI fully recognises context the way a human does. In many cases the system cannot separate rumours from verified information. This is how a business can end up with AI Overviews confidently stating something that was never true.

Outdated information resurfaces

Another common pattern is old content appearing as if it were published yesterday. Some AI systems struggle with recency. The model identifies the most machine-relevant piece of text rather than the most up to date one.

If your company changed its prices, updated its product line or rebranded in the last year, older pages can still be treated as the definitive source.

Information gaps get filled with anything available

AI systems do not like empty spaces. If there is limited high quality content about a specific product, service or policy, the model fills the gap with whatever it can find. You can think of this as the “data void” issue. If the internet does not explain you clearly enough, the model improvises.
And improvisation is not what you want when your reputation or revenue is on the line.

How to give your business a better chance of being cited correctly

Luckily, it’s not all doom and gloom – you can influence what AI systems choose to surface. This is where GEO, also known as generative engine optimisation, comes in.

GEO and broader LLM (large language model) optimisation practices aim to make your business the clearest, most authoritative and most trusted source for AI tools.

Create content that removes ambiguity

Publish crystal clear, structured information about your services. Include FAQs, pricing clarity, product explanations and up to date company statements. AI Overviews lean heavily toward content that looks complete, confident and well organised. This is the backbone of AI SEO (search engine optimisation).

Show authority on your own site

If your website does not look like the definitive source about your business, the AI will look elsewhere. This is where strong site hierarchy, clear timestamps and consistent language matter. These signals help with general ranking and also for Perplexity SEO, Claude SEO, Gemini SEO and Google Bard SEO as they rely on similar authority checks.

Keep key pages fresh

Stale information opens the door to incorrect answers. The more current your content, the easier it is for AI systems to prioritise it. Make updates frequent and obvious, especially on pages that influence buying decisions.

Build signals outside your site

High quality citations and coverage on trusted third-party platforms make your business look authoritative. AI tools use these external signals to judge credibility. The more consistent your business details appear across the web, the more likely you are to be cited in AI Overview SEO results.

Monitor what AI says about you

Search for your business inside Google’s AI Overview, Perplexity, ChatGPT and other major systems. If anything looks wrong, update your site, publish clarifications and create content that counterweights the misinformation. This is a normal part of modern LLM optimisation.

The reality of AI search today

AI Overviews will become more frequent across search results. That shift is already underway as Google tries to stay competitive with tools that offer direct answers. The businesses that win visibility in this new landscape are the ones that take generative AI SEO seriously and build clear, authoritative content that AI can trust.

If you want your company to appear accurately in AI answers rather than watching speculation take over, you need a structured strategy. That includes content, authority building and ongoing optimisation across all major AI platforms.

At Engage Web, we specialise in GEO, AI SEO services and wider LLM optimisation. If you want your business to appear correctly and consistently in AI Overviews and across tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude, get in touch and we will guide you through the full process. This is the moment to take control of how AI represents your brand – so let’s make sure it gets you right.

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Lia Bartley

Content Editor at Engage Web

With years of experience in the financial sector, Lia has swapped the world of mis-sold PPI in exchange for life as an eagle-eyed editor at Engage Web, ensuring our wonderful clients have equally wonderful content on their websites.