How the AI search volume metric works in LLM Mentions
While working with endpoints of the LLM Mentions API, you may notice that the values of ai_search_volume for the same keyword may vary significantly depending on the selected platform type. The difference in values of ai_search_volume for Google and ChatGPT is natural because ai_search_volume is calculated differently for both platforms.
Let’s explain to you how.
1 AI search volume for Google AI Overview mentions
If you choose google as a platform type while sending a request, the ai_search_volume values are derived directly from the Google Search Volume. That’s because the mentions data is captured for AI Overview features, which appear as features in Google SERPs. Thus, the search volume data can be sourced from the same Google keyword data used in traditional SEO keyword research.
For example, let’s assess the AI search volume of the keyword “renault” in Google AI Overviews for the United States. The Target Metrics endpoint is the best suited for this task.
POST: https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/ai_optimization/llm_mentions/target_metrics/live
Request example:
[
{
"platform": "google",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States"
}
]
Response example:
{
"version": "0.1.20260610",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "1.0593 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"tasks_count": 1,
"tasks_error": 0,
"tasks": [
{
"id": "07082003-1535-0651-0000-2c06171e55c1",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "0.9992 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"result_count": 1,
"path": [
"v3",
"ai_optimization",
"llm_mentions",
"target_metrics",
"live"
],
"data": {
"api": "ai_optimization",
"function": "target_metrics",
"platform": "google",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States"
},
"result": [
{
"total_count": 0,
"offset": 0,
"items_count": 0,
"aggregated_metrics": {
"location": [
{
"key": 2840,
"mentions": 17676,
"ai_search_volume": 12621380
}
],
"language": [
{
"key": "en",
"mentions": 17333,
"ai_search_volume": 8699440
},
{
"key": "es",
"mentions": 343,
"ai_search_volume": 3921940
}
],
"platform": [
{
"key": "google",
"mentions": 17676,
"ai_search_volume": 12621380
}
],
"sources_domain": [
{
"key": "www.youtube.com",
"mentions": 10046,
"ai_search_volume": 8157960
},
{
"key": "en.wikipedia.org",
"mentions": 7632,
"ai_search_volume": 6958580
},
{
"key": "www.reddit.com",
"mentions": 4287,
"ai_search_volume": 3415170
},
{
"key": "www.facebook.com",
"mentions": 3184,
"ai_search_volume": 1499190
},
{
"key": "www.instagram.com",
"mentions": 1431,
"ai_search_volume": 1539530
},
{
"key": "www.formula1.com",
"mentions": 1100,
"ai_search_volume": 665430
},
{
"key": "www.topgear.com",
"mentions": 956,
"ai_search_volume": 984460
},
{
"key": "www.quora.com",
"mentions": 870,
"ai_search_volume": 333040
},
{
"key": "www.cardekho.com",
"mentions": 776,
"ai_search_volume": 187290
},
{
"key": "www.carwale.com",
"mentions": 773,
"ai_search_volume": 179950
}
],
"search_results_domain": [],
"brand_entities_title": [],
"brand_entities_category": [],
"total": {
"mentions": 17676,
"ai_search_volume": 12621380
}
},
"items": []
}
]
}
]
}
In the total object of the result, you can see that the ai_search_volume of the keyword “renault” in the US is 12621380.
2 AI search volume for ChatGPT mentions
For the chat_gpt platform type, the ai_search_volume is calculated using a special algorithm. The algorithm calculates search volume based on the data from the Google’s People Also Ask feature, which is significantly important for ChatGPT. The People Also Ask sections suggest related queries in a question-answer format, displaying questions relevant to the target topic.
For LLMs such as ChatGPT, these conversational queries are seen as useful and considered when generating responses. Thus, to calculate ChatGPT AI search volume, we collect all People Also Ask questions that include the target keyword and count them.
Let’s make another request to the Aggregation Metrics endpoint to see whether the search volume for the “renault” keyword in ChatGPT differs from that in Google AI Overviews.
POST: https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/ai_optimization/llm_mentions/target_metrics/live
Request example:
[
{
"platform": "chat_gpt",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States"
}
]
Response example:
{
"version": "0.1.20260610",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "1.5125 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"tasks_count": 1,
"tasks_error": 0,
"tasks": [
{
"id": "07082005-1535-0651-0000-9b90bfdf1214",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "1.4468 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"result_count": 1,
"path": [
"v3",
"ai_optimization",
"llm_mentions",
"target_metrics",
"live"
],
"data": {
"api": "ai_optimization",
"function": "target_metrics",
"platform": "chat_gpt",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States"
},
"result": [
{
"total_count": 0,
"offset": 0,
"items_count": 0,
"aggregated_metrics": {
"location": [
{
"key": 2840,
"mentions": 3060,
"ai_search_volume": 63850
}
],
"language": [
{
"key": "en",
"mentions": 3060,
"ai_search_volume": 63850
}
],
"platform": [
{
"key": "chat_gpt",
"mentions": 3060,
"ai_search_volume": 63850
}
],
"sources_domain": [
{
"key": "en.wikipedia.org",
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
},
{
"key": "www.reddit.com",
"mentions": 227,
"ai_search_volume": 6689
},
{
"key": "carinterior.alibaba.com",
"mentions": 82,
"ai_search_volume": 2002
},
{
"key": "www.reuters.com",
"mentions": 71,
"ai_search_volume": 2231
},
{
"key": "www.caranddriver.com",
"mentions": 66,
"ai_search_volume": 1411
},
{
"key": "www.motor1.com",
"mentions": 65,
"ai_search_volume": 1031
},
{
"key": "www.formula1.com",
"mentions": 55,
"ai_search_volume": 946
},
{
"key": "www.whatcar.com",
"mentions": 48,
"ai_search_volume": 814
},
{
"key": "www.slashgear.com",
"mentions": 40,
"ai_search_volume": 1636
},
{
"key": "www.carscoops.com",
"mentions": 34,
"ai_search_volume": 549
}
],
"search_results_domain": [
{
"key": "www.motor1.com",
"mentions": 179,
"ai_search_volume": 3207
},
{
"key": "carinterior.alibaba.com",
"mentions": 166,
"ai_search_volume": 4672
},
{
"key": "www.autoevolution.com",
"mentions": 165,
"ai_search_volume": 2739
},
{
"key": "www.motortrend.com",
"mentions": 136,
"ai_search_volume": 2346
},
{
"key": "www.alibaba.com",
"mentions": 103,
"ai_search_volume": 2956
},
{
"key": "www.caranddriver.com",
"mentions": 103,
"ai_search_volume": 2029
},
{
"key": "everything.explained.today",
"mentions": 102,
"ai_search_volume": 3573
},
{
"key": "www.formula1.com",
"mentions": 89,
"ai_search_volume": 1600
},
{
"key": "www.slashgear.com",
"mentions": 87,
"ai_search_volume": 1704
},
{
"key": "www.carscoops.com",
"mentions": 86,
"ai_search_volume": 1717
}
],
"brand_entities_title": [
{
"key": "Renault",
"mentions": 91,
"ai_search_volume": 1405
},
{
"key": "French automaker",
"mentions": 75,
"ai_search_volume": 3731
},
{
"key": "Japanese automaker",
"mentions": 56,
"ai_search_volume": 3629
},
{
"key": "French automobile manufacturer",
"mentions": 31,
"ai_search_volume": 1005
},
{
"key": "Mercedes-Benz",
"mentions": 31,
"ai_search_volume": 601
},
{
"key": "Renault Clio",
"mentions": 28,
"ai_search_volume": 464
},
{
"key": "Formula One team",
"mentions": 27,
"ai_search_volume": 719
},
{
"key": "Renault Kwid",
"mentions": 27,
"ai_search_volume": 548
},
{
"key": "Peugeot",
"mentions": 26,
"ai_search_volume": 447
},
{
"key": "Renault Group",
"mentions": 25,
"ai_search_volume": 444
}
],
"brand_entities_category": [
{
"key": "vehicle",
"mentions": 505,
"ai_search_volume": 16646
},
{
"key": "company",
"mentions": 389,
"ai_search_volume": 14398
},
{
"key": "organization",
"mentions": 111,
"ai_search_volume": 3104
},
{
"key": "brand",
"mentions": 104,
"ai_search_volume": 3357
},
{
"key": "people",
"mentions": 99,
"ai_search_volume": 3013
},
{
"key": "car",
"mentions": 74,
"ai_search_volume": 465
},
{
"key": "sports_team",
"mentions": 61,
"ai_search_volume": 1426
},
{
"key": "athlete",
"mentions": 45,
"ai_search_volume": 1219
},
{
"key": "product",
"mentions": 20,
"ai_search_volume": 383
},
{
"key": "point_of_interest",
"mentions": 19,
"ai_search_volume": 446
}
],
"total": {
"mentions": 3060,
"ai_search_volume": 63850
}
},
"items": []
}
]
}
]
}
As you can see, in the total object, the ai_search_volume of the target keyword in ChatGPT is 63850, which is significantly lower than in the AI Overviews.
In short, the ai_search_volume for Google and ChatGPT differs because this metric reflects query popularity on each platform independently and is calculated differently.
3 AI search volume in aggregation endpoints
Besides, it is worth noting that in aggregation endpoints (Target Metrics, Multi-Target Metrics, Top Mentioned Domains, Top Mentioned Pages, Top Mentioned Brands, and Top Mentioned Brand Categories) we separately provide the total ai_search_volume value. The total search volume is calculated as the sum of the AI search volumes for all LLM mentions found for a specific target (or a set of targets in Multi-Target Metrics).
Let’s demonstrate where you can find total ai_search_volume using the Top Mentioned Domains endpoint as an example.
POST: https://api.dataforseo.com/v3/ai_optimization/llm_mentions/top_mentioned_domains/live
Request example:
[
{
"platform": "chat_gpt",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States",
"internal_list_limit": 1,
"limit": 1
}
]
Response example:
{
"version": "0.1.20260610",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "0.6724 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"tasks_count": 1,
"tasks_error": 0,
"tasks": [
{
"id": "07082010-1535-0653-0000-a3e7652a0f12",
"status_code": 20000,
"status_message": "Ok.",
"time": "0.6210 sec.",
"cost": 0.101,
"result_count": 1,
"path": [
"v3",
"ai_optimization",
"llm_mentions",
"top_mentioned_domains",
"live"
],
"data": {
"api": "ai_optimization",
"function": "top_mentioned_domains",
"platform": "chat_gpt",
"target": [
{
"keyword": "renault",
"search_scope": [
"answer"
]
}
],
"location_name": "United States",
"internal_list_limit": 1,
"limit": 1
},
"result": [
{
"total_count": 2165,
"offset": 0,
"items_count": 1,
"aggregated_metrics": {
"location": [
{
"key": 2840,
"mentions": 5793,
"ai_search_volume": 120947
}
],
"language": [
{
"key": "en",
"mentions": 5793,
"ai_search_volume": 120947
}
],
"platform": [
{
"key": "chat_gpt",
"mentions": 5793,
"ai_search_volume": 120947
}
],
"sources_domain": [
{
"key": "en.wikipedia.org",
"mentions": 679,
"ai_search_volume": 13931
}
],
"search_results_domain": [
{
"key": "carinterior.alibaba.com",
"mentions": 157,
"ai_search_volume": 6041
}
],
"brand_entities_title": [
{
"key": "Renault",
"mentions": 88,
"ai_search_volume": 866
}
],
"brand_entities_category": [
{
"key": "vehicle",
"mentions": 979,
"ai_search_volume": 29521
}
],
"total": {
"mentions": 5793,
"ai_search_volume": 120947
}
},
"items": [
{
"domain": "en.wikipedia.org",
"location": [
{
"key": 2840,
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
}
],
"language": [
{
"key": "en",
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
}
],
"platform": [
{
"key": "chat_gpt",
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
}
],
"sources_domain": [
{
"key": "en.wikipedia.org",
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
}
],
"search_results_domain": [
{
"key": "everything.explained.today",
"mentions": 79,
"ai_search_volume": 3093
}
],
"brand_entities_title": [
{
"key": "Renault",
"mentions": 43,
"ai_search_volume": 549
}
],
"brand_entities_category": [
{
"key": "company",
"mentions": 167,
"ai_search_volume": 5595
}
],
"total": {
"mentions": 649,
"ai_search_volume": 13415
}
}
]
}
]
}
]
}
In the result, you can find the total ai_search_volume value in the nested total object of the aggregated_metrics object before the items array.