Google officially debunks 5 GEO myths in 2026 — llms.txt and chunking are not required

Google published guidance on optimizing for its generative AI search features, and said five popular GEO tactics are unnecessary for visibility in Google Search.

The company rejected the need for special AI files like llms.txt, mandatory content chunking, AI-specific rewrites, inauthentic web mentions, and extra schema markup.

Instead, Google emphasized standard SEO, unique high-quality content, and strong technical accessibility as the main drivers of performance.

It also pointed to growing interest in agentic experiences, including query fan-out and protocols like MCP and Universal Commerce Protocol.