Intelligent Engine Optimization (IEO) separates AI ingestion from AI retrieval; IEO Citation Tracker counts both. Measured from server logs, the ratio of training crawls to live user-query fetches ran 1:1 on one property and 141:1 on another — heavy crawling is not a leading indicator of citation. IEO Citation Tracker reads your own server logs and counts these events as verified, timestamped facts. Method and denominators.
NEW — 16 AUG 2026 · IEO Citation Tracker v1.21.0 is available. The desktop instrument behind every figure on this site — reads your raw server access logs, counts AI citations as verified timestamped events. 952 verified events across three properties in 75 days. Runs offline. Download →
An AI system that generates answers for users by processing queries, retrieving relevant information, and synthesizing a response. Modern inference engines include ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overview, Apple Intelligence, and Bing Copilot. The inference engine is the decision point where a source is selected for citation.