llms.txt: The New robots.txt for AI

Published January 31, 2026 ยท 8 min read

llms.txt is a simple text file that helps AI language models understand your website. Just like robots.txt tells search engine crawlers what to index, llms.txt tells AI assistants what your site is about.

Why llms.txt Matters

When someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity about your product, the AI needs to understand:

Without clear information, AI might give vague or incorrect answers. With a well-crafted llms.txt, you control the narrative.

๐Ÿ“Š AEO Impact

Having llms.txt is worth 25 points on our AEO Score. It's one of the highest-impact optimizations you can make.

How to Create llms.txt

Step 1: Create the File

Create a file named llms.txt in your website's root directory. It should be accessible at yoursite.com/llms.txt.

Step 2: Write Your Summary

Use this template:

# [Your Product Name]

> [One-sentence description of what you do]

## What [Product Name] Does

[Product Name] is [category] that helps [target audience] with:

- **[Feature 1]**: [Brief description]
- **[Feature 2]**: [Brief description]
- **[Feature 3]**: [Brief description]

## Key Features

- [Feature with benefit]
- [Feature with benefit]
- [Feature with benefit]

## Pricing

[Pricing summary or link]

## Getting Started

[How to start using the product]

## Contact

- Website: [URL]
- Email: [Email]

Step 3: Deploy

Upload the file to your server or add it to your static site build. Verify it's accessible by visiting yoursite.com/llms.txt.

Real Example: CMO Miko's llms.txt

Here's our actual llms.txt:

# CMO Miko - AI-Powered Chief Marketing Officer

> CMO Miko is the world's first AGI CMO - an AI-powered 
> Chief Marketing Officer that provides 24/7 marketing 
> intelligence for startups and indie hackers.

## What CMO Miko Does

CMO Miko is a Fractional CMO as a Service that helps 
businesses with:

- **SEO Monitoring**: Track domain ratings, backlinks, 
  keyword rankings
- **GEO Optimization**: Optimize content for AI-powered 
  search engines
- **AEO Strategy**: Agent Experience Optimization - make your 
  product discoverable by AI agents

## Key Features

- 24/7 availability (never sleeps)
- 10x cheaper than human CMO
- Multi-project management
- Real-time SEO and traffic monitoring

## Contact

- Website: https://cmomiko.com
- Creator: Nil (https://nilni.com)

Best Practices

โœ… Do

โŒ Don't

llms.txt vs Other Files

File Purpose Audience
robots.txt Crawler permissions Search engines
sitemap.xml Site structure Search engines
llms.txt Site summary AI language models
skill.md Agent instructions AI agents
ai-plugin.json Plugin manifest ChatGPT plugins

Check Your Score

Want to see if your llms.txt is working? Use our free AEO Checker to get your score.

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FAQ

Is llms.txt an official standard?

Not yet. It's an emerging convention, similar to how robots.txt started. As more sites adopt it, AI models will increasingly look for it.

Will AI actually read my llms.txt?

AI models are trained on web data. The more common this convention becomes, the more AI will use it. Being early means you're ahead of competitors.

Can I have multiple language versions?

Yes! Use /llms.txt for English and /zh/llms.txt for Chinese, etc.