---
id: "cjr-ai-search-citation-problem"
title: "AI Search Has a Citation Problem"
creator: "Tow Center for Digital Journalism"
creator_url: "https://www.cjr.org"
url: "https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/we-compared-eight-ai-search-engines-theyre-all-bad-at-citing-news.php"
level: "intermediate"
level_max: "intermediate"
category: "ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo"
subcategory: "measuring-ai-citations-and-visibility"
region: "West"
access: "free"
date_added: "2026-10-19"
resource_kind: "learning_resource"
verification_basis: "supplier-inventory-v2.4"
access_evidence: "Supplier-approved free inventory; not independently verified by this site."
domain_top: "AI search visibility (SEO/GEO/AEO)"
domain_sub: "Measuring AI citations and visibility"
source_type: "blog"
last_verified: "2026-10-19"
last_content_modified: "2026-10-19"
---

[Home](/index.md) · [AI search visibility (SEO/GEO/AEO)](/ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo/index.md) · [Measuring AI citations and visibility](/ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo/measuring-ai-citations-and-visibility/index.md)

# AI Search Has a Citation Problem

Tow Center test of eight AI search tools on 1,600 news excerpts, counting wrong attributions, invented links and answers from sites that blocked the crawler.

For intermediate readers. A blog from Tow Center for Digital Journalism; catalog added 2026-10-19, last verified 2026-10-19.

by [Tow Center for Digital Journalism](https://www.cjr.org)

[Read the original →](https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/we-compared-eight-ai-search-engines-theyre-all-bad-at-citing-news.php)

Level: [Intermediate](/levels/index.md)
Category: [AI search visibility (SEO/GEO/AEO)](/ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo/index.md)
Tags: [ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo](/tags/ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo/index.md), [measuring-ai-citations-and-visibility](/tags/measuring-ai-citations-and-visibility/index.md)
Added: 2026-10-19
Last verified: 2026-10-19
Status: ok
Resource kind: learning_resource
Type: blog
Region: West
Original language: en
Access: free
Last modified: 2026-10-19
Subcategory: [Measuring AI citations and visibility](/ai-search-visibility-seo-geo-aeo/measuring-ai-citations-and-visibility/index.md)
Verification basis: Supplier-reported import check. Subsequent source corrections and content reviews are recorded separately.
Access evidence: Supplier-approved free inventory; not independently verified by this site.
Source domain: AI search visibility (SEO/GEO/AEO)
Source subdomain: Measuring AI citations and visibility

Summary in our own words. Rights remain with the original creator. [Credit and correction policy](/about/index.md#credit-policy).

[Plain-text Markdown copy](/e/cjr-ai-search-citation-problem/index.md)