Grounded inference is the citation pathway for IEO Engine content. AI platforms that perform retrieval-augmented generation produce grounded inference and provide citation opportunities. Platforms operating from training-corpus knowledge alone produce ungrounded inference that cannot cite specific sources.
The IEO Engine measurement framework distinguishes between grounded and ungrounded AI responses. Grounded responses are direct evidence of citation behavior; ungrounded responses reflect training-corpus state and respond to inference-layer changes on slower timelines.