When an AI tool answers a question, it pulls from sources and often names them. Being one of those named sources is quickly becoming a channel of its own, with the qualified attention that used to come only from a top ranking.
What earns a citation is not a trick. It is a clear, self-contained answer that an engine can lift, real information gain that makes your page worth selecting, and enough trust that it is comfortable quoting you.
Cover a topic with depth, answer plainly, and be the source that is easiest to trust, and you give yourself the best odds of showing up when the answer is written for you.