A website called hashlock.markets discovered that its `llms-full.txt` file, intended for AI agents, receives more impressions in standard Google Search than any other URL on their site. However, this file has zero impressions in Google's generative AI features, indicating that AI models are not utilizing this machine-readable format. Research from SE Ranking and Limy supports this, showing that `llms.txt` files are largely ignored by major LLM citation sources and Google has confirmed it does not support them. The `llms.txt` format is, however, proving useful for AI tool-use applications like Cursor and GitHub Copilot. AI
IMPACT AI tools are increasingly using machine-readable formats like `llms.txt` for specific functions, though major search engines currently do not leverage them.
RANK_REASON The item discusses the observed performance of a specific file format (`llms.txt`) in relation to Google's AI features and other AI tools, based on personal website data and external research, rather than announcing a new product or research breakthrough.
- AI Mode
- AI Overviews
- ClaudeBot
- Claude Code
- Cursor
- Gary Illyes
- GitHub Copilot
- Google-Extended
- GPTBot
- hashlock.markets
- Jeremy Howard
- John Mueller
- LangChain
- llms-full.txt
- OAI-SearchBot
- PerplexityBot
- SE Ranking
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