Most people think of search as a question and an answer. But that’s not what’s really happening inside an AI system. What you’re seeing is a negotiation between patterns. On one side is the way a question is phrased—the prompt surface pattern. On the other is the way the model knows how to reply—the answer shape. If you don’t understand this relationship, you’re leaving your visibility to chance.

In ten years, people will look back at this phase as the “wild west” of AI search. That’s why it matters to set definitions now. Canonical terms, tight scope, and clear boundaries create the foundation. Without them, the field will dissolve into marketing noise.