# About Mention Network
## The rise of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
As AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Grok, and DeepSeek become the primary gateways to information, the way brands capture attention is shifting. Traditional Search Engine Optimization is losing relevance. The new focus is **Generative Engine Optimization** - the practice of improving how often, in what context, and with what positioning AI models mention a brand.
In this “zero-click” environment, the conversation between a consumer and an AI agent is the new first impression for brands. If an AI assistant fails to mention a brand, effectively, that brand becomes invisible in this emerging channel.
## How does Mention Network fit into this shift?
[Mention Network](https://mention.network/) is the first Decentralized GEO platform designed to track and amplify AI Visibility for brands. Using Browser Extension as a data-crawling approach, Mention Network collects real-time prompts from real users across major AI models. This enables highly accurate tracking of real-time AI brand mentions, revealing when, where, and why a brand is cited.
In this new paradigm, what matters is how often AI mentions a brand, in what context, and with what positioning. Mention Network is creating the first decentralized, community-powered data layer to track and amplify brand visibility in AI-driven search, turning AI user activity into on-chain value.
## What sets Mention Network apart from other GEO platforms?
Unlike common GEO platforms that use synthetic prompts from APIs, Mention Network crowdsources authentic user interactions with AI to power its analytics. This approach significantly captures the exact language and context real consumers use (something mimic prompts may miss), and it scales organically as more users contribute, providing a live pulse of brand visibility across different AI platforms.
Contributors who generate AI mentions receive [Mention Points](https://docs.mention.network/earn-with-mention-network/mention-points) - a reward system that will be convertible into on-chain tokens of Mention Network. This design follows the principle of InfoFi that those who generate valuable information should share in its financial value, turning attention and data into a sustainable flywheel in the AI-driven era.
## Before you dive in
Take a moment to review our [Terms of Use](https://docs.mention.network/policies/terms-of-use) and [Privacy Policy](https://docs.mention.network/policies/privacy-policy). They are short, transparent, and designed to keep your experience safe, fair, and fully in your control.
{% content-ref url="../policies/terms-of-use" %}
[terms-of-use](https://docs.mention.network/policies/terms-of-use)
{% endcontent-ref %}
{% content-ref url="../policies/privacy-policy" %}
[privacy-policy](https://docs.mention.network/policies/privacy-policy)
{% endcontent-ref %}
---
# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.
Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:
```
GET https://docs.mention.network/how-to-begin/about-mention-network.md?ask=
```
The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.
Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
