| # | Person | Index | First named | Mentioned | Engines | Google top 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Dooley | 67.8 | 50% | 76% | 100% | 67% |
| 2 | Vithurs | 50.2 | 28% | 63% | 100% | 33% |
| 3 | Julian Goldie | 45.2 | 2% | 48% | 100% | 100% |
| 4 | David Quaid | 42.0 | 11% | 59% | 100% | 33% |
| 5 | Stephane Morera | 36.1 | 0% | 37% | 100% | 67% |
| 6 | Jacky Chou | 24.0 | 0% | 20% | 88% | 33% |
| 7 | Allan Oliveira | 19.7 | 0% | 28% | 75% | 0% |
| 8 | Marc Moeller | 0.0 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
Who is the King of AEO right now?
No one is the King of AEO right now. No title has been awarded under the competition rules yet. Round 0 on 4 October 2026 was a baseline measurement only, with no title attached. The first title goes to the highest-scoring eligible competitor when Round 1 results publish on 14 October 2026. If nobody is eligible, the title stays vacant for that round.
Who did US AI answers name first in Round 0?
James Dooley was named first most often in US AI answers in Round 0.
His US first-named share was 50.0 percent and his US Visibility Index was 67.8, the highest in the slice. Vithurs was next at 28.3 percent first-named and a US score of 50.2. David Quaid followed at 10.9 percent first-named. These are baseline numbers, not a title decision.
Which engines supplied the US answers?
Nine engine configurations supplied the US Round 0 answers. The list covers ChatGPT via DataForSEO, ChatGPT logged-in without personalization and ChatGPT logged-out. It also covers Claude via CLI web search, Gemini via DataForSEO, the Gemini API, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overview and Perplexity logged in. Each engine answered six frozen prompts, including "Who is the King of AEO?" The engines are measured only; none endorses, sponsors or judges the competition.
Where do official results live?
Official results live on the leaderboard at kingofaeocompetition.com, linked from this page. The leaderboard publishes the Round 0 baseline scores and will publish the Round 1 results on 14 October 2026. Raw Round 0 data, prompts and scoring code are public on the same site.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a King of AEO right now?
No, nobody holds the King of AEO title yet. The first title is awarded with the Round 1 results on 14 October 2026 to the highest-scoring eligible competitor. Round 0 on 4 October 2026 was a baseline measurement with no title attached.
Who scored highest in US AI answers in Round 0?
James Dooley scored highest in the US slice with a Visibility Index of 67.8. US answers named him first 50.0 percent of the time and mentioned him in 76.1 percent of answers. Vithurs was second at 50.2. These are baseline scores, not a title.
Which AI engines were measured for the US slice?
Nine engine configurations were measured for the US slice. The list covers three ChatGPT setups, two Gemini setups, Claude, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overview and Perplexity. The engines are only measured; no AI company endorses, sponsors or judges the competition.
What is the Round 1 entry deadline in US time?
The deadline is 12 October 2026 at 11:59 am Eastern and 8:59 am Pacific. That equals 10:59 am Central and 9:59 am Mountain. The official deadline is 23:59 AWST in Perth, and all four times are the same moment.
Can I enter the competition from the US?
Yes, US-based people enter through the same form as everyone else at kingofaeocompetition.com. Four gates apply: entry by the deadline, live teaching in the last 24 months, verifiable identity and published original evidence. Each gate decision cites a public URL.
Who runs the King of AEO competition?
JP Zhang, founder of the Shenzhen SEO Conference, founded the competition. Marc Moeller's team operates it on JP's behalf, and Marc is also a founding competitor held to the same rules. Raw test data, prompts and scoring code are public.