How do AI engines decide who to cite?
They retrieve sources that best answer the prompt and lean toward ones that are clear, specific, and corroborated — mentioned and agreed-with across the web. Link equity is part of how some systems judge authority, but a model citing a source in an answer is weighing relevance and trustworthiness of the content itself, not just counting inbound links. Being the clearest, most-referenced source on a question is the goal.
Are backlinks still relevant?
Yes. They still drive traditional search, which still sends real traffic, and they remain a credibility signal that can indirectly help how authoritative your brand looks. Nothing about AI search makes a strong, naturally-earned link profile worthless — it just stops being the only game.
When your brand name consistently appears near a topic across many independent sources, models learn that association. You don't need a hyperlink for that signal to propagate.
What's the role of brand mentions now?
Larger than before. Unlinked mentions — your brand named in articles, discussions, and other sources — help establish you as an entity associated with your topic, which is exactly what a model draws on when deciding whom to cite. Being talked about, even without a hyperlink, is increasingly its own form of authority.
Should I change my link strategy?
Broaden it into a reputation strategy. Keep earning genuine links, but also aim to be mentioned and quoted as a source — through useful content, being cited by others, and showing up accurately wherever your topic is discussed. Chase being known and corroborated, not just linked.
The short version
AI citations don't replace backlinks; they add a second axis. Keep earning real links for search, and build the brand mentions and citability that AI answers reward. Reputation, not just link count.