Welcome to the AI Overviews Research section of the Google AI Overview Library, a comprehensive resource featuring my own articles, insights, and analyses alongside external research and publications. This section serves as your go-to source for the latest developments, including original studies, expert summaries of external reports, and Google’s official communications. Whether you’re looking for in-depth technical research or broader industry perspectives, this regularly updated library provides a balanced and curated view of how AI Overviews are impacting search results.
While not intended to be exhaustive, the AI Overviews research collection below focuses on key insights and reliable sources to guide your understanding of AI Overviews. Check back frequently for the latest updates and expert insights.
AI Overviews Research Collection by Section
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My Research and Insights on Google AI Overviews
AI Overview Studies and Research
How AI Overviews Impact Visibility Across Industries: Key Insights for SEOs and Content Creators
by Rich Sanger and Authoritas
Published: September 25, 2024
Summary: This collaborative study by Rich Sanger and Authoritas analyzes Google AI Overviews across various industries, examining their prevalence, link counts, alignment with traditional search results, and vertical space on SERPs. Key findings indicate that AI Overviews are most prevalent in information-heavy sectors like Health (50.3%) and Home & Garden (46.6%) but are rare in transactional industries like Real Estate and Automotive. AI Overviews in industries such as Education and Health include more links, offering comprehensive resources, while those in transactional sectors typically include fewer links. The study also highlights a strong alignment between AI Overviews and organic results in industries like Real Estate (58.5%) but less overlap in fields such as E-commerce and Marketing. These findings suggest that informational content and top SERP positions significantly influence inclusion in AI Overviews, and they offer guidance for content creators to adapt their SEO strategies for AI-driven search visibility.
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How Search Intent Shapes Google AI Overviews: Study Insights
by Rich Sanger and Authoritas
Published: September 25, 2024
Summary: The study by Rich Sanger and Authoritas examines the relationship between search intent and Google AI Overviews, revealing how different intents impact search visibility. It found that informational queries trigger the most AI Overviews (28.8%), while transactional and navigational queries have lower rates of inclusion. AI Overviews for commercial and informational intents contain more links on average, offering a broader range of resources. The study highlights that top SERP positions have the highest likelihood of inclusion in AI Overviews, particularly for mixed intents like informational-transactional queries. The findings emphasize the need for SEOs and content creators to focus on user-centric, intent-driven content to optimize for AI Overviews and improve visibility in search results.
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Google AI Overview Study: Link Selection Based on Related Queries
by Rich Sanger and Authoritas
Published: September 8, 2024
Summary: The study “Google AI Overview: Link Selection Based on Related Queries,” a collaboration between Rich Sanger and Authoritas, explores how Google AI Overviews source links by analyzing over 11,000 queries. It found that 21.1% of queries triggered an AI Overview, with each containing an average of 8.9 links. While 46.3% of these links align with top organic search results for direct match queries, this percentage increased to 67.3% when related and reformulated queries were included. The research highlights YouTube and Wikipedia as prominent sources in AI Overviews and reveals that higher SERP positions increase the likelihood of being featured in these summaries. The study suggests optimizing for both direct and related queries to boost visibility in AI Overviews and emphasizes the importance of SERP ranking and YouTube content for improving link inclusion.
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Google AI Overviews: Do Ranking Studies Tell the Whole Story?
by Rich Sanger
Published: July 9, 2024
Summary: The article “Google AI Overviews: Do Ranking Studies Tell the Whole Story?” critiques current studies on how Google AI Overviews select and link to sources. It highlights that while studies like those by Advanced Web Ranking and SE Ranking focus on AI Overviews linking to top organic results for specific queries, they overlook Google’s broader document selection process. Google’s AI Overview system uses Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) and considers related, recent, and implied queries, seeking diverse, high-quality, and trustworthy documents rather than solely relying on high-ranking sources. This approach explains why AI Overviews often link to low or unranked sources, challenging the linear methods used in current ranking studies. The article encourages future research to consider the system’s multidimensional criteria and how embedding distance between documents influences source selection.
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SEO Strategy and AI Optimization
How to Optimize for AI Overviews: Patent & Research Insights
by Rich Sanger
Published: June 11, 2024
Summary: This article focuses on how Google’s AI Overview system selects and links to content, based on insights from patents and research. Document selection occurs in two stages, emphasizing factors like ranking position, CTR, trustworthiness, freshness, and diversity. The system also leverages related and reformulated queries to broaden selection. Google Gemini, the LLM powering AI Overviews, utilizes retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to draw from Google’s index and knowledge graph, with semantic alignment playing an important role. The article outlines pathways to visibility, including direct and related query optimization, multimedia integration, and prioritizing informational intent, offering actionable strategies for content creators to enhance their chances of inclusion in AI Overviews.
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How to Optimize for SGE: Reverse Engineering for Visibility
by Rich Sanger
Published: January 29, 2024
Summary: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), now known as AI Overview, provides dynamic summaries using AI models like large language models (LLMs) to deliver contextually relevant answers to search queries. To optimize content for visibility in SGE, reverse engineering is key. This involves analyzing the structure, text, cited sources, images, and follow-up queries in SGE, identifying optimization strategies such as providing clear definitions, incorporating examples, using structured content, and focusing on quality and trustworthiness. Although SGEs don’t rely solely on top-ranked organic search results, optimizing content in alignment with SEO best practices can improve visibility. However, tracking success is limited, as Google currently provides no performance metrics for SGE impressions or clicks.
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Google Search Generative Experience: The Next Big Change in Search
by Rich Sanger
Published: January 9, 2024
Summary: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), now known as AI Overview, is set to significantly alter the search landscape, potentially shifting organic search results down the page and reducing click-through rates. A study by Authoritas reveals that SGE could push organic listings down by over 1,500 pixels, affecting impressions and clicks. However, it also presents opportunities, as 93.8% of generative links come from sources outside the top-ranking domains. Businesses can optimize content for SGE by creating high-quality, structured, and original content aligned with Google’s EEAT guidelines. While metrics for SGE performance are not yet available, focusing on technical SEO and adapting to the new search dynamics will help businesses maintain visibility in this evolving environment.
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Tracking and Performance Analysis
Measuring the Impact of Google AI Overviews on SEO Performance
by Rich Sanger
Published: January 20, 2025
Summary: This article explores the challenges and opportunities of analyzing Google AI Overviews’ impact on SEO. While Google Search Console tracks performance metrics like clicks and impressions for URLs featured in AI Overviews, it lacks the ability to filter this data specifically. Third-party tools such as Semrush, Ahrefs, and Authoritas fill this gap, identifying queries and URLs associated with AI Overviews. By combining these data sources, SEOs can evaluate the net and absolute impacts of AI Overview visibility on key metrics like CTR and rankings. Rich shares practical methods for measuring performance gains and losses and highlights strategies for optimizing high-value queries, balancing traditional SEO with AI-driven opportunities.
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Industry Insights and Interviews
AI Overviews: Google’s Danny Sullivan Provides an Inside Look
by Rich Sanger
Published: October 7, 2024
Summary: In an interview with Aleyda Solis, Google’s Search Liaison Danny Sullivan shared insights on Google AI Overviews (AIOs), revealing how they are transforming search results and the challenges they present for SEOs and content creators. Sullivan explained that AIOs, introduced in May 2024, aim to deliver more efficient, high-level summaries to enhance user experience by synthesizing information rather than focusing on keyword matching. While AIOs primarily focus on informational queries, they are evolving to include commercial content, reshaping how users engage with search. Despite the growing prominence of AIOs, Sullivan noted that Google does not plan to provide specific data for them in Google Search Console, creating transparency challenges for SEOs. The discussion highlighted the need for SEOs to focus on creating high-quality, user-centric content to stay relevant as AIOs continue to evolve.
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Technical Deep Dives
Google AI Overviews: The Role of Large Language Models and Google Gemini
by Rich Sanger
Published: October 14, 2024
Summary: Google AI Overviews leverage advanced Large Language Models (LLMs) like Google Gemini to generate human-like summaries for search queries. These LLMs analyze the intent, context, and content from various sources, including text, images, and video, to provide comprehensive, multimodal responses. Google Gemini, one of Google’s most advanced LLMs, enhances the system’s ability to handle complex queries and integrate data from multiple formats. Despite its strengths, challenges such as bias, irrelevant content, and regional inaccuracies remain. For SEOs, aligning content with search intent, optimizing structure, and incorporating multimedia are essential strategies for increasing visibility in AI Overviews.
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How Does Google AI Overview Work? Insights From the Patent
by Rich Sanger
Published: May 21, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI Overview, which evolved from the Search Generative Experience (SGE), generates AI-based summaries for specific search queries using large language models (LLMs). It works by analyzing the intent and context of user queries, retrieving and processing relevant content from various sources, and generating dynamic summaries. The system evaluates documents based on several criteria, including positional ranking, trustworthiness, diversity, and user interactions. It also considers related and recent queries to enhance the relevance of its summaries. For SEOs, optimizing content to align with user intent, enhance engagement, and build authority is key to gaining visibility in these AI Overviews, as they prioritize quality, relevance, and trust.
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Legal and Regulatory Challenges
Google AI Probed for Antitrust: What SEOs Need to Know
by Rich Sanger
Published: September 15, 2024
Summary: The recent concerns from U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Amy Klobuchar, urge the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether AI features in Google and Bing’s search platforms violate antitrust laws. The core issue revolves around generative AI features summarizing content from publishers without proper compensation, reducing traffic and revenue for content creators. AI summaries often keep users on the search platform, limiting clicks to original sources. This poses a significant challenge for SEOs, as it diminishes organic traffic and makes it difficult to measure AI-generated performance metrics. As the antitrust investigation progresses, content creators and SEOs are urged to adapt by emphasizing unique, high-quality content that AI cannot easily replicate and preparing for potential shifts in the search landscape.
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AI Overviews Under Fire From Congress: How Will Google Respond?
by Rich Sanger
Published: July 25,2024
Summary: U.S. Congress members, including Adam Schiff, have concerns regarding the accuracy and trustworthiness of Google’s AI-generated summaries known as AI Overviews. The Congress members highlight instances where AI Overviews spread misinformation, such as claims from unreliable sources, and have questioned Google’s methods for selecting sources, ensuring accuracy, and handling misinformation. Google has responded by making changes, such as limiting summaries for certain queries and refining the system to reduce errors. However, the article points out gaps in transparency and notes that several of Congress’s questions remain unanswered, signaling the need for more stringent monitoring and adjustments to Google’s AI Overview system.
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Google’s Official Announcements and Publications
AI Overviews in Search Expanding to More Countries
by Srinivasan (Cheenu) Venkatachary, VP, Search Quality
Published: October 28, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI Overviews are now reaching a broader audience, expanding to over 100 countries and supporting multiple languages, including English, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish. This rollout brings AI Overviews to more than 1 billion monthly users globally, offering a more interactive and relevant search experience. As part of these updates, Google has introduced enhanced link displays within AI Overviews, including in-line links that drive additional traffic to websites. AI Overviews now also incorporate ads in certain mobile queries within the U.S., enabling better connections between users and relevant products. This global expansion aims to make search more accessible, fostering connections between users, publishers, and creators worldwide.
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AI in Search: Brendon Kraham breaks down what it means for advertisers
by The Think with Google Editorial Team
Published: October 24, 2024
Summary: The article discusses Google’s recent innovations in search, particularly focusing on AI Overviews. Brendon Kraham, VP of Search and Commerce Global Ads Solutions, highlights AI Overviews as a key improvement, comparing them to a highly efficient librarian. This feature helps users find content from publishers and advertisers by connecting them with high-quality, more relevant responses. AI Overviews lead to more engagement, with users spending more time on websites and businesses benefiting from more meaningful ad placements that match user intent.
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New ways for marketers to reach customers with AI Overviews and Lens
by Shashi Thakur, VP/GM, Google Ads
Published: October 3, 2024
Summary: The article highlights new opportunities for advertisers to connect with consumers through AI Overviews and Google Lens. Ads are now automatically integrated into AI Overviews, appearing above and below AI-generated summaries. Businesses don’t have direct control over ad placement within the summaries, but existing AI-powered Search ads, Shopping ads, and Performance Max campaigns will automatically display relevant ads when they match user queries. This new format helps users find products at t they need them. Additionally, Shopping ads in Google Lens allow users to visually search for products and receive detailed product information, reviews, and price comparisons. Advertisers can reach high-intent consumers seamlessly, without needing to take additional action to appear in these new search experiences.
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New ways to connect to the web with AI Overviews
by Hema Budaraju, Senior Director, Product Management, Search
Published: August 15, 2024
Summary: Google is expanding the reach of AI Overviews in Search, allowing users to find more complex information quickly and explore a diverse range of web content. Launched in May, AI Overviews are now available in six additional countries, including the UK, India, and Brazil, with local language support. These Overviews provide high-quality, relevant information and direct links to websites, enhancing user engagement. New features, such as saving Overviews and simplifying language, are available through Search Labs experiments. The updates aim to help users find content more easily and provide businesses with better opportunities for engagement.
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AI Overviews: About last week
by Liz Reid, VP, Head of Google Search
Published: May 30, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI Overviews have received positive user feedback since their launch, with people asking longer, more complex questions and discovering higher-quality web content. However, some erroneous overviews, including faked screenshots, surfaced on social media, leading Google to explain the system’s function. Unlike chatbots, AI Overviews are integrated with Google’s core ranking systems and only show information backed by top web results, aiming to minimize inaccuracies. Despite testing, some odd results appeared, often from satirical content or data voids. Google has implemented improvements, such as better detection of nonsensical queries and restrictions on user-generated content, to enhance accuracy and prevent misleading results.
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Generative AI in Search: Let Google do the searching for you
by Liz Reid, VP, Head of Google Search
Published: May 14, 2024
Summary: Google is enhancing Search with expanded AI Overviews powered by its custom Gemini model, which simplifies complex tasks like planning, research, and brainstorming. AI Overviews, already used billions of times, provide quick answers and links to explore further, now rolling out to U.S. users with global expansion planned. New features will soon allow users to adjust overviews, ask complex multi-step questions, and plan meals or trips directly in Search. The upcoming AI-organized results page will categorize search results for easier exploration. Additionally, video-based searches will allow users to troubleshoot or ask questions using visual content. These advancements aim to make searching faster and more intuitive.
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SGE: Bringing the Power of Generative AI to Search
by Google
Published: December 2023
Summary: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), introduced through Search Labs, integrates generative AI into search, enabling users to ask complex questions and receive AI-powered overviews with relevant web links. SGE is rooted in Google’s core quality and safety systems, developed responsibly under its AI Principles to ensure accuracy and prevent biases. The system refrains from reflecting a persona, offering objective, neutral responses. As part of Google’s commitment to responsible AI development, SGE remains in an experimental phase, with ongoing improvements based on user feedback. Google’s AI Principles guide the ethical development of SGE, ensuring it is socially beneficial, safe, accountable, and transparent.
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Generative summaries for search results
by Google
Published: September 26, 2023
Summary: This is the patent underlying Google AI Overviews. The patent describes a method for using large language models (LLMs) to generate natural language summaries in response to search queries. These summaries can incorporate additional content beyond the query itself, which helps improve accuracy and relevance. By processing content from related or recent search results, the system ensures that responses are tailored to each specific query submission, reducing over- or under-specification. The approach mitigates issues like inaccuracies or outdated information, and allows users to receive more precise, contextually appropriate responses based on their interactions with search results or user profiles. This method optimizes the search experience and enhances user engagement with more personalized and accurate summaries.
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A new way to search with generative A: An overview of SGE
by Google
Published: October 2023
Summary: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) marks a new era in search by integrating generative AI into the search experience. With SGE, users can ask more complex questions, get faster insights, and explore follow-up queries through AI-powered overviews that summarize key information and provide links to relevant content. This system supports more efficient search journeys in various contexts, from shopping to local searches. Built on AI models like MUM and PaLM2, SGE is designed to balance creativity with factual accuracy, emphasizing safety and quality. Google is experimenting with SGE through its Search Labs, learning from ongoing user feedback while upholding high standards for information quality and responsible AI use.
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Supercharging Search with generative AI
by Liz Reid, VP, Head of Google Search
Published: May 10, 2023
Summary: Google is introducing generative AI capabilities to enhance the search experience, allowing users to understand topics faster and uncover new insights. With the Search Generative Experience (SGE), users can get AI-powered snapshots of key information, follow-up questions, and explore content more deeply through conversational modes. This new feature also streamlines shopping by providing product comparisons, reviews, and prices through Google’s Shopping Graph. Committed to responsible AI use, Google has implemented guardrails to ensure quality and transparency. Users can sign up to test these new features through Search Labs on Chrome desktop and the Google app.
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AI Overviews and your website
by Google
Published: No date
Summarize: AI Overviews in Google Search provide a snapshot of information from various sources, including websites and Google’s Knowledge Graph, when a generative response is deemed helpful. Publishers don’t need to take any specific action to be featured in AI Overviews beyond following Google’s standard search optimization practices. Links in AI Overviews are automatically chosen by Google’s systems to help users explore topics further. Performance metrics for these links are included in Search Console reports. Publishers can manage content appearance in AI Overviews using standard tools like robots.txt, and troubleshooting preview controls can ensure changes are reflected properly.
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Find information in faster & easier ways with AI Overviews in Google Search
by Google
Published: No date
Summary: AI Overviews in Google Search provide AI-generated snapshots that offer key information and links to help users quickly find and explore a range of sources. Currently available to users in the U.S. and select countries, AI Overviews aim to simplify searches by organizing results with generative AI. Users can access additional AI features through the “AI Overviews and more” experiment in Search Labs. While AI Overviews enhance search experiences, they are experimental and may contain inaccuracies. Users are encouraged to critically evaluate responses and provide feedback to help improve AI Overviews and ensure higher-quality search results.
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What are impressions, position, and clicks?
by Google
Published: No date
Summary: In relation to AI Overviews, the Search Console tracks impressions, clicks, and position similarly to other search elements. A click is recorded when a user clicks a link from the AI Overview to an external page. An impression is counted when a link within the AI Overview is either scrolled into view or expanded. The position of an AI Overview is recorded as a single position in the search results, and all links within the overview are assigned that same position. These metrics help monitor the performance of AI Overviews in Google Search results.
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AI Overviews and more” in Search Labs
by Google
Published: No date
Summary: The “AI Overviews and more” experiment in Search Labs expands the availability of AI Overviews in Google searches and offers additional generative AI features. It replaces the previous Search Generative Experience (SGE) experiment. Users who opt in can see AI Overviews on more searches and access features like generating AI-powered overviews. The experiment is available in Chrome for users 13 and over with a personal Google Account, but not for Google Workspace accounts. Users can toggle the experiment on or off in Search Labs, though AI Overviews remain a core feature of Google Search. Additionally, users can export AI-generated content to Google Drive, Docs, or Gmail. Feedback is encouraged to improve the experiment.
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External Articles, Research, Studies & More
Research and Studies on Google AI Overviews
The First-Ever UX Study of Google’s AI Overviews
by Kevin Indig (with Eric van Buskirk)
Published: May 12, 2025
Summary: This study tracked how 70 users interacted with Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) across 400+ encounters, revealing that AIOs significantly reduce click-through rates, especially on desktop, and shift user behavior toward quick scanning and top-of-panel visibility. Most users only engage with the top third of the AIO, and trust in the source now outweighs traditional relevance when selecting results. Younger and mobile users are more likely to rely on AIOs, while high-stakes queries (e.g., health, finance) prompt deeper validation through sources like Reddit, YouTube, or trusted .gov/.edu sites. The study concludes that visibility and authority, not just ranking, are now the core drivers of SEO success in an AI-dominated search experience.
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SERP Organic and AI Overview Volatility Research
by Laurence O’Toole, Authoritas
Published: February 19, 2025
Summary: This study by Authoritas CEO Laurence O’Toole analyzes the volatility of Google SERPs, organic rankings, and AI Overview (AIO) results over 8- and 13-week periods, using over 11,000 keywords. It finds that AI Overview rankings are significantly more volatile than organic results, with over 70% of cited pages changing across timeframes—independently of both organic rankings and the AI-generated text snippets. While SERP layout changes show weak correlation with ranking volatility, generative content updates often signal shifts in perceived user intent. The findings emphasize the need for SEOs to treat AI Overviews as a separate layer of search, track changes in AIO text meaning, and adapt content proactively using LLM insights to stay visible in Google’s evolving AI-driven SERP.
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The Impact of AI Overviews on SEO – Analysis of 19 Studies
by Kevin Indig
Published: February 17, 2025
Summary: Kevin Indig’s meta-analysis reviews 19 separate studies on Google AI Overviews (AIOs), synthesizing insights into their frequency, triggers, traffic impact, citation patterns, and content implications. AIOs primarily appear for informational, long-tail queries with low search volume and are declining in prevalence since launch. They reduce organic CTRs, often push results down the page, and most citations come from top 10 organic rankings—but not always. Being cited in an AIO correlates with higher visibility, making citation the new SEO goal. Indig recommends optimizing for concise, structured answers—often in list form—and testing platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn, which are frequently cited.
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How AI Overviews Will Affect Publishers
by Tomasz Rudzki
Published: December 2024
Summary: Tomasz Rudzki’s article delves into the significant impact of Google’s AI Overviews on the publishing industry, suggesting that the introduction of AI Overviews has drastically altered how users interact with search results. Observations from Rudzki’s analysis indicate that AI Overviews often bypass traditional SEO metrics such as topical authority, relying instead on various factors including query type and the use of conversational language. This shift, according to Rudzki, could democratize visibility in search results, offering new opportunities for brands that aren’t traditionally ranked high. However, the volatility in URL selection and the shift towards providing comprehensive answers could decrease the traffic directed to publisher sites, potentially affecting revenue streams. Rudzki advocates for a proactive approach in monitoring and adapting to these changes to harness the potential benefits of increased visibility and brand trust facilitated by AI Overviews.
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Exploring URL Volatility in Google’s AI Overviews
by Mordy Oberstein
Published: November 20, 2024
Summary: Mordy Oberstein’s article examines the volatility of URL placements within Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs), revealing a lack of consistency that poses challenges for SEO strategies. Analyzing 1,500 keywords with AIOs appearing at least 20 days in October 2024, the study found no keywords with 100% URL consistency, 91% of URLs being removed at some point, and only 43% of removed URLs returning. On average, AIOs underwent 12 URL changes within the month, with each URL remaining in place for just 3-4 consecutive days. Furthermore, 96% of AIOs experienced domain changes, highlighting the instability of URL placements. While this inconsistency raises questions about the value of targeting AIOs, Oberstein suggests monitoring AIO behavior closely to identify potential opportunities in their volatile nature.
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AI vs. SEO: What Does the Future of Search Look Like?
by Johannes Beus
Published: November 8, 2024
Summary: The study “AI vs. SEO: What Does the Future of Search Look Like?” examines how Generative AI is challenging Google’s search dominance. It details the impact of AI Overviews, competitor efforts, and changes in search user behavior. Findings show that Google’s AI Overviews draw from selected sources, with only 37% of these URLs appearing in the top 100 organic results. In UK searches, AI Overviews now cover 3-4% of keywords and often lead to more clicks than traditional featured snippets. The study presents three possible outcomes: Google maintains its position with gradual AI integration, competitors gain significant market share, or user behavior remains unchanged. To prepare, it advises on creating high-quality, expert-driven content, ensuring domains are indexable, and building a strong brand—especially for EU entities awaiting AI Overview rollouts.
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AI Overviews: A Deep Dive into 300K Keywords
by Louise Linehan
Published: October 31, 2024
Summary: The study “AI Overviews: A Deep Dive into 300K Keywords” by Louise Linehan analyzes the key differences between AI Overview (AIO) and non-AIO search results. Key findings include AIOs’ preference for low-volume, long-tail keywords with a median search volume of 500 compared to 29,000 for non-AIOs. AIOs have a median keyword difficulty of 12, suggesting easier ranking opportunities, especially since they predominantly target informational intent. Notably, 99.9% of AIO SERPs feature at least one other SERP feature, with Featured Snippets and Discussions appearing significantly more often in AIO SERPs than in non-AIO SERPs. The study underscores the importance of mobile optimization, as AIO queries predominantly come from mobile devices.
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Google AI Inaccurate In 43% Of Finance-Related Searches
by Robert Farrington
Published: October 17, 2024
Summary: The study “Google AI Inaccurate In 43% Of Finance-Related Searches” by Robert Farrington highlights serious inaccuracies in AI Overviews for finance-related queries. It found that out of 100 personal finance queries, 43% of Google AI Overviews provided misleading or incorrect information. These errors were categorized into three groups: misleading results, missing key information, and completely incorrect answers. The study found that Google’s AI Overviews perform well for basic finance topics, like banking and insurance, but struggle with more complex topics, such as taxes, investing, and student loans. The study emphasizes the potential financial harm that can result from AI inaccuracies, and calls for Google to disable AI Overviews for finance-related queries.
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Google AI Overviews Study: 25+ Statistics from 405,576 searches
by Kristavja Caci
Published: October 4, 2024
Summary: A study by Surfer analyzed 405,576 Google AI Overviews to understand how AI-generated summaries impact search results. The research found that AI overviews, averaging 157 words, pull information from various sources, with 52% of sources also ranking in the top 10 organic results. AI overviews paraphrase content rather than matching exact keywords, highlighting the importance of natural language in optimization. Lists are commonly used to format AI overviews, making content easier to digest. While most cited sources come from top-ranking pages, smaller websites also have a chance to gain visibility through AI overviews, offering a unique opportunity for enhanced content visibility. The study emphasizes creating high-quality, informative content to increase the likelihood of being featured in these AI-generated summaries.
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AI Overviews Research: Analyzing Google’s approach to YMYL topics
by Yulia Deda
Published: October 2, 2024
Summary: Yulia Deda study examines how Google AI Overviews handle sensitive “Your Money or Your Life” (YMYL) topics including health, politics, finance, and legal matters. The research found that 50.33% of YMYL-related queries triggered AI Overviews, with the legal sector having the highest occurrence (77.67%), followed by health (65.33%). Specific findings show that health-related AI Overviews frequently linked to reputable sources like Mayoclinic.com (107 links) and WebMD (91 links). Additionally, 83% of health-related keywords included disclaimers advising users to seek professional medical advice. Political topics saw fewer AI Overviews (16.67%), and keywords related to elections were notably absent. Finance-related Overviews often linked to Investopedia and NerdWallet, while legal Overviews referenced government sites like NYCourts.gov. The study highlights concerns about inconsistencies, outdated sources, and gaps in geographic accuracy, especially in legal and health-related content.
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AI on Innovation – part 2
by Kevin Indig
Published: September 24, 2024
Summary: In his follow-up analysis of over 546,000 AI Overviews, Kevin Indig explores the relationship between common crawl data, user intent, and AIO visibility. He finds that common crawl inclusion has a weak correlation to AIO visibility, while organic traffic strongly predicts AIO prominence, especially for top-ranking domains like Wikipedia and YouTube. Indig also emphasizes that user intent significantly influences AIO structure, with local queries seeing more exact matches between query and response. Lastly, he notes that while top organic positions increase the likelihood of AIO citation, it is still possible for lower-ranking URLs to appear in AIOs, reinforcing the importance of both organic SEO and user intent alignment. Indig presents two possible futures for AIOs: one where top-ranking results dominate, and another where AIOs continue to diversify their sources.
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AI on Innovation: Analysis of +546,000 AIO overviews
by Kevin Indig
Published: September 16, 2024
Summary: Kevin Indig’s analysis of over 546,000 AI Overviews (AIOs) reveals the significant impact of AIOs on SEO, showing a potential traffic decline of up to 10% depending on citation design and user intent. While organic rankings improve the chances of being cited in AIOs, over half of AIO citations come from outside the top 20 search results, emphasizing Google’s focus on diverse sources. Indig also notes that only 6% of AIOs contain the exact search query, highlighting the importance of addressing user intent. Additionally, he suggests that social and video content may play a growing role in AIO optimization, as YouTube and LinkedIn are among the most cited domains. AIOs could reshape SEO by shrinking the playing field and reducing both organic and ad clicks as AI-generated answers become more effective.
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Impact of Google’s AI Overviews: SEO Research Study
by seoClarity
Published: August, 2024
Summary: Mark Traphagen’s research on Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) reveals key insights into the impact of this new feature on organic search rankings. AIOs now appear in 7.6% of searches, down from 17.4% after a May 2024 update addressing inaccuracies. AIOs primarily impact informational queries, sourcing from top 10 organic results 99.5% of the time, and are 30 times more prevalent on mobile than desktop. They affect certain industries like Home Warranty and Technology significantly and appear for 44% of YMYL (Your Money/Your Life) queries. However, AIOs have limited presence for transactional, local, and buying guide queries. The study encourages businesses to monitor AIOs using seoClarity’s tracking tools to assess their impact on rankings and traffic.
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AI Overviews Research: Analyzing sources in Google’s AI-generated answers
by SE Ranking
Published: August 07, 2024
Summary: Yevheniia Khromova’s study on AI Overviews reveals that 7.47% of searches trigger AI-generated summaries, with a shift towards more concise answers averaging 397 words. The research highlights Google’s preference for authoritative sources, with nearly 93.67% of links in AI Overviews coming from top 10 organic search results, while 43.50% of links come from outside the top 100, indicating a mix of highly ranked and unique content. Major platforms like YouTube, LinkedIn, and Forbes dominate links in AI Overviews, and there’s a growing overlap between AI Overviews and featured snippets. Government and educational websites are frequently cited, especially in health-related queries, while user-generated platforms like Reddit and Quora have seen a sharp decline in AI Overview presence. The study underscores the need for strong domain authority and content relevance to appear in AI-generated responses.
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An Analysis of AI Overview Visibility in Google Search for Trending News
by John Shehata
Published: July 25, 2024
Summary: John Shehata examines the presence and impact of AI Overviews in search results for trending news queries. Analyzing over 10,000 keywords across various categories, the study found that for trending news searches, AI Overviews appear in only 3.9% of searches, with the highest visibility in health news (29.6%) and minimal presence in categories like national and sports news. This decline in AI Overview visibility is attributed to Google’s efforts to address concerns over accuracy and appropriateness for sensitive topics. The study advises publishers to monitor AI Overview trends, optimize for featured snippets, and focus on creating authoritative content, particularly in categories like health and business where AI Overviews are more prevalent. While not yet dominant, AI Overviews still pose challenges and opportunities for SEO professionals and news publishers.
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AI Overview Study for 8,000 Keywords in Google Search
by Advanced Web Ranking
Published: July 1, 2024
Summary: In his study of 8,000 keywords, Philip Petrescu explores the role of AI Overviews in Google search and their impact on organic traffic, visibility, and SEO strategies. AI Overviews now appear in 12.4% of search results, primarily for informational queries, especially in health-related niches. These AI summaries reduce the visibility of organic results by taking up substantial screen space, pushing organic listings further down the page. Featured snippets frequently appear with AI Overviews, but not for commercial or brand-related queries. Petrescu also notes that many AI Overview sources rank outside the top 50 organic results, presenting both challenges and opportunities for website visibility. SEO strategies need to adapt by optimizing content for inclusion in AI Overviews to maintain relevance in this evolving search landscape.
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AI Overviews Research: Comparing pre and post-rollout results on 100K keywords
by SE Ranking
Published: June 19,2023
Summary: This research, conducted by Yevheniia Khromova and Ivanna Vashyst, analyzes the impact of Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs) after their rollout, focusing on 100,000 keywords across 20 niches. Key findings show that only 8.71% of searches trigger AIOs, a significant drop from 64% in pre-rollout research. The average AIO text length increased by 24.59%, and AIOs now feature fewer links (4 post-click, down from 8). AIOs most frequently appear in niches like Relationships and Food & Beverage, while niches like Healthcare, Legal, and News & Politics rarely trigger them. Moreover, longer queries are more likely to activate AIOs, with 10-word queries having a 19.10% trigger rate. SEO strategies should adapt to this changing landscape, focusing on long-tail keywords and authoritative content to maintain visibility in AIOs.
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AI Overviews: Measuring the Impact on SEO
by Mark Traphagen
Published: May 23, 2024
Summary: Mark Traphagen’s article on AI Overviews explores the impact of Google’s new AI-powered feature on SEO, particularly regarding organic rankings and traffic. AI Overviews, driven by Google Gemini, provide concise responses with links to related resources, helping searchers quickly grasp complex topics. SEOs are concerned about how these summaries may push down organic results, but tracking tools like seoClarity can monitor when AI Overviews appear for keywords and assess their impact. While AI Overviews currently appear for a limited number of queries, mostly informational, SEOs should focus on creating high-quality, relevant content to be included in these overviews, which could mitigate potential traffic losses. Ultimately, AI Overviews primarily affect long-tail queries, so SEOs should assess their significance on a case-by-case basis.
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AI Overviews SEO Impact Report [New Data]
by Ross Hudgens
Published: May 20, 2024
Summary: Ross Hudgens’ AI Overviews SEO Impact Report analyzes the effects of Google’s new AI Overviews feature on search traffic and click-through rates (CTR). Initially, there was concern about a potential 11% to 18% decline in search traffic, but data from 43 Siege Media clients—mostly in SaaS, fintech, and B2C/e-commerce—shows an overall increase in impressions, CTR, and traffic. The increase, especially in SaaS and fintech, suggests AI Overviews may positively affect complex queries, while B2C saw a slight decline in impressions but increased CTR. The report suggests that while AI Overviews have caused changes, the impact has been more neutral or positive, with no significant harm to SEO performance.
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SGE Research Study – The Impact of Google Search Generative Experience on Brand and Product Terms
by Authoritas
Published: March 21, 2024
Summary: Laurence O’Toole’s study on Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) reveals that SGE results appear in 91.4% of brand and product-related searches, pushing organic results down the page, with the No. 1 listing dropping by an average of 1,255 pixels. This shift significantly affects click-through rates and traffic, with 62% of SGE links coming from domains not in the top 10 organic results. Quora.com performed particularly well in many categories, while paid and shopping ads often appear below SGE content. The study urges brands to adapt their SEO strategies to optimize for SGE, as it poses both risks and opportunities for maintaining visibility in search results.
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Research Study – The Impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience on organic rankings
by Authoritas
Published: January 4, 2024
Summary: The research study led by Laurence O’Toole explores the impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) on organic search rankings. Conducted in December 2023, the study examined 1,000 commercial terms using SGE-enabled Google accounts in the U.S. The key findings reveal that SGE appears in 86.8% of queries, significantly affecting organic search visibility. When users click on SGE results, the top organic listing moves down the page by an average of 1,500 pixels, decreasing click-through rates and traffic. The study also found that 93.8% of generative links come from sources outside the top organic domains, signaling a potential shift in SEO strategies. The study suggests that SGE will likely cause a major disruption to traditional SEO, with top organic results being displaced by AI-generated content, leading to reduced visibility and traffic. The study concludes that SEO professionals need to adapt to feature prominently in generative results as SGE rolls out globally in 2024.
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Research Study – The Impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience on organic rankings
by Authoritas
Published: January 4, 2024
Summary: The research study led by Laurence O’Toole explores the impact of Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) on organic search rankings. Conducted in December 2023, the study examined 1,000 commercial terms using SGE-enabled Google accounts in the U.S. The key findings reveal that SGE appears in 86.8% of queries, significantly affecting organic search visibility. When users click on SGE results, the top organic listing moves down the page by an average of 1,500 pixels, decreasing click-through rates and traffic. The study also found that 93.8% of generative links come from sources outside the top organic domains, signaling a potential shift in SEO strategies. The study suggests that SGE will likely cause a major disruption to traditional SEO, with top organic results being displaced by AI-generated content, leading to reduced visibility and traffic. The study concludes that SEO professionals need to adapt to feature prominently in generative results as SGE rolls out globally in 2024.
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AI Overview Strategy and Optimization Research
How To Rank in AI Overviews—11 Tips To Follow
by Petar Marinkovic and Surfer
Published: October 18, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI overviews (AIOs), formerly known as Search Generative Experience, provide a significant opportunity for enhanced visibility by positioning authoritative, AI-generated content summaries at the top of search results. To secure a spot in AIOs, Petar Marinkovic’s guide emphasizes creating high-quality, trustworthy content that adheres to Google’s E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) guidelines. Key strategies include matching user search intent, incorporating answer-focused sections, and using clear, readable language. Maintaining top SERP rankings, adding structured data, citing reliable sources, and ensuring an optimal user experience are also crucial. Regular content updates signal relevance and can further improve AIO inclusion. While direct optimization for AIOs isn’t possible, these practices can increase the likelihood of your content being featured, boosting organic traffic and authority.
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Why Generative to Organic Alignment Scores (GOA Score™) matter when optimising for AI Overviews
by Authoritas
Published: August 27, 2024
Summary: Laurence O’Toole’s article on Generative to Organic Alignment Scores (GOA Score™) explores how well AI Overviews (AIOs) align with organic search results and why this matters for SEO optimization. He highlights that, in a study of 6,599 keywords, 97.3% of AIOs included at least one top 10 organic result, showing strong alignment between AI-generated content and organic rankings. The GOA Score™ measures how many generative URLs match organic ones, while the OGA Score™ does the reverse. Both scores emphasize the importance of optimizing content that already ranks well organically to maintain visibility in AIOs. O’Toole also stresses the need for tailored SEO strategies based on industry and query type, as different categories show varying levels of alignment between AI and organic results. The study indicates that while Google increasingly grounds its AIOs in organic rankings, there’s still room for SEO strategies that address mismatches. Practical applications of GOA and OGA Scores include optimizing top-performing content, creating new content, and exploring paid search to maintain visibility. The article encourages ongoing analysis of these scores as Google continues to refine its AI Overview system.
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How To Optimize for AI Overviews (SGE)
by Garrett Sussman
Published: February 6, 2024
Summary: Optimizing for AI Overviews, formerly known as Search Generative Experience (SGE), involves adapting traditional SEO strategies to the dynamic and evolving nature of AI-driven search engines like Google’s AI Overview. These platforms use Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) to pull current, relevant content from search engine indices, combining it with large language models (LLMs) to produce factually accurate results. To appear in AI Overviews, content creators must reverse engineer existing generative content, document their experiments, and track performance across targeted queries. Effective tactics include improving content relevance, clarity, and structure, adding FAQs, leveraging subject matter expert quotes, and integrating fresh statistics. While results are dynamic and hard to predict, ongoing experimentation and optimization using tools like Orbitwise and MarketBrew can help increase visibility in AI Overviews.
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The impact of Google’s AI Overviews & What To do About it [With Traffic Risk Sheet & Video]
by Aleyda Solis
Published: January 18, 2024
Summary: Aleyda Solis created an AI Overviews traffic risk assessment checklist to help businesses evaluate the potential impact of Google’s AI Overviews on their search traffic. This checklist guides users to verify whether AI Overviews include their top-performing queries, assess traffic erosion risks based on snapshot types, and compare their content against AI Overview-featured pages to identify optimization opportunities. The traffic risk levels are linked to user satisfaction and query fulfillment, and the tool is complemented by an explanatory video and an impact assessment presentation shared at Search Day Oslo.
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Industry Insights and Thought Leadership
The State and Future of Search Q&A with Danny Sullivan, Google Search Liaison
by Aleyda Solis
Published: September 29, 2024
Summary: In this Q&A, Danny Sullivan discusses the current state and future of Google’s AI Overviews, highlighting their evolution since their public introduction in May 2024. AI Overviews primarily focus on providing informational content but have recently expanded to commercial queries, like holiday shopping lists. Although third-party tools are tracking their impact, there are no plans to provide AI Overview statistics through Google Search Console due to the feature’s experimental and evolving nature. Sullivan emphasizes that while AI Overviews are changing, the goal remains to provide useful, relevant content, with potential future developments aimed at refining the way these AI-driven search features impact user experiences and traffic.
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New Research From BrightEdge Finds Google’s AI Overviews Are Getting Smarter
by BrightEdge
Published: September 19,2024
Summary: BrightEdge’s new research highlights significant developments in Google’s AI Overviews (AIO), focusing on the shift towards more specialized and expert sources, particularly in industries like healthcare, technology, and news. AIOs are now prioritizing niche and authoritative content, with general consumer websites seeing declines in citations. There is also a push toward comparative shopping content, with product carousels and unordered lists becoming more prominent, enhancing user experience by organizing complex product details. Additionally, Google’s AI Overviews are expanding their visual format, allowing for more detailed and engaging content. While AIOs show cautious rollout in eCommerce, SearchGPT has surged ahead in referral traffic, outpacing Perplexity.
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Tracking and Performance Analysis
Google AIO Impact – SEO & PPC CTRs at All-Time Low
by Tracy McDonald
Published: February 4, 2025
Summary: This article examines the significant impact of Google AI Overviews (AIOs) on organic and paid click-through rates (CTRs), emphasizing that while AIOs reduce clicks, their effect varies based on query type and AIO ownership. Analyzing data from Google Ads, Google Search Console, and Ziptie, McDonald found that queries with AIOs had lower CTRs from the start, often due to zero-click behavior, while organic CTRs for non-AIO queries actually improved. Paid CTR declined across the board, suggesting broader shifts in user engagement with ads. However, brands appearing in AIOs saw a boost in both organic and paid CTRs, likely due to trust and brand recognition. The article advises search consultants to focus on query segmentation and AIO optimization, while CMOs should invest in AI tracking, adjust KPIs, and diversify beyond Google. McDonald highlights the ongoing evolution of AI-driven search and the need for adaptable marketing strategies.
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The Maddening Adventure Of Tracking AI Overviews In Google Search Console
by Glenn Gabe
Published: June 27, 2024
Summary: Glenn Gabe discusses the frustration of tracking AI Overviews in Google Search Console (GSC) following their official U.S. launch in May 2024. Despite Google’s promise to include AI Overviews data in GSC, there’s no dedicated filter for this feature, making it difficult for site owners to track performance. Gabe highlights four major challenges: AI Overviews only trigger in the U.S. for logged-in users, they are dynamic, and Google is continually refining their operation. Tools like Ziptie can help track AI Overview rankings, but they don’t provide clear data on click-through rates or traffic impacts in GSC. Gabe calls for Google to provide more detailed reporting to help site owners assess the effects of AI Overviews, similar to the filters available for Discover and Google News.
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AI Overview Challenges and Issues
Google’s AI Overview: No Opt-Out Leads to User Discontent
by Dara Kerr
Published: November 12, 2024
Summary: In “Google’s AI Overview: No Opt-Out Leads to User Discontent,” Dara Kerr discusses the frustrations users experience with Google’s AI Overview, which lacks an opt-out feature. Despite its promise to deliver quick, useful summaries by processing vast amounts of data, the AI Overview has faced criticism for inaccuracies and its significant energy use, which is about ten times that of a standard web search. The article highlights individual experiences, such as a family medicine doctor whose professional exams are compromised by the tool and a technophile disillusioned by its errors. Alternatives like DuckDuckGo offer opt-outs, underscoring the demand for user control over AI features.
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Google’s AI Search Fails: From Bizarre Misinformation to Public Health Risks
by Miriam Ellis
Published: May 27, 2024
Summary: Following the May 2024 rollout of AI Overviews, Google’s new AI-generated search summaries have sparked controversy due to numerous misinformation incidents. While intended to streamline search results, AI Overviews have provided misleading, and sometimes dangerous, advice, such as recommending glue in pizza recipes and incorrect health treatments. These AI-generated errors have raised concerns over Google’s responsibility in ensuring reliable information, especially in sensitive areas like health. The article argues that such misinformation can be harmful to users, particularly those relying on Google for medical guidance, and calls for the removal of AI Overviews from medical-related queries. Additionally, some experts suggest Google’s push to release AI features quickly stems from competitive pressure rather than quality control, highlighting the risks of prioritizing speed over accuracy in AI-driven tools.
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Google’s A.I. Search Errors Cause a Furor Online
by Nico Grant
Published: May 24, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI Overview, a feature meant to deliver accurate and relevant search summaries, has recently drawn public criticism due to multiple erroneous and misleading responses. Examples include AI-generated advice to add glue to pizza recipes, eat rocks for nutrients, and use dangerous cleaning combinations—all of which originated from incorrect or satirical sources. This backlash highlights challenges Google faces in ensuring the accuracy of information from its language models, especially as these systems pull from large data sets that include both factual and non-factual content. Google has acknowledged some issues and pledged to refine its AI Overview tool, yet the incident underscores the complexity of maintaining trust and reliability in AI-powered search features.
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Why Google’s AI Overviews gets things wrong
by Rhiannon Williams, MIT Technology Review
Published: March 21, 2024
Summary: Google’s AI Overviews, an AI-powered search feature, has faced criticism for producing unreliable and sometimes bizarre results, such as recommending eating rocks or using glue in pizza. These errors stem from the limitations of large language models (LLMs) like Google’s Gemini, which can “hallucinate” or generate false information due to the way they predict language. The system uses a technique called retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to pull information from external sources, but mistakes can occur in both retrieving and generating responses. Google has made improvements, such as better detection of nonsensical queries and limiting user-generated content, but challenges remain. AI Overviews struggle with interpreting conflicting information or satire, and even when using credible sources, the system may misinterpret the context. While Google is refining the system, experts suggest that AI Overviews should remain experimental and optional until further improvements ensure reliability.
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Legal and Ethical Implications for AI Overviews
DOJ indicates it’s considering Google breakup following monopoly ruling
by Jennifer Elias
Published: October 8, 2024
Summary: The U.S. Department of Justice is considering breaking up Google following a ruling that found the company guilty of maintaining a monopoly in the general search market. As part of potential antitrust remedies, the DOJ is exploring both behavioral and structural changes, including limiting Google’s use of products like Chrome, Play, Android, and its AI-powered features to give it an unfair advantage in search. The ruling, stemming from a 2020 case, alleges that Google created barriers to entry to sustain its dominance, violating antitrust laws. While a breakup is being considered, other remedies may include ending exclusive agreements, such as those with Apple, and providing users with easier access to alternative search engines. Google’s appeal could delay any final decision for years.
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Klobuchar, Colleagues Urge Justice Department, Federal Trade Commission to Investigate Generative AI Products for Potential Antitrust Violations
by Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Published: September 10, 2024
Summary: Senator Amy Klobuchar, along with other lawmakers, has urged the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether new generative AI features from dominant online platforms, such as Google and Meta, violate antitrust laws. These AI features, which summarize or reuse content from other sources, pose risks to journalists and content creators by preventing them from earning compensation, as users remain on the platform instead of visiting the creators’ sites. The letter emphasizes concerns about misappropriation of third-party content, unfair competition, and the potential harm to local news and innovation, urging action to ensure fair practices in the digital content market.
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Google search monopoly US case remedies to come by December
by Jody Godoy, Reuters
Published: September 6, 2024
Summary: The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to outline by December 2024 the actions Alphabet’s Google must take to restore competition after being found guilty of monopolizing the online search market. The remedy could involve significant measures such as divesting business units like the Android operating system or ending payments to ensure Google’s search engine is the default on devices. Prosecutors are also considering how Google’s integration of artificial intelligence, including its Bard (now Gemini) AI product, will impact search. Google plans to appeal the ruling, with a final decision anticipated by August 2025.
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Schiff Demands Answers from Google Regarding Misleading AI Overview Feature
by Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.)
Published: July 17, 2024
Summary: Representative Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) has called on Google CEO Sundar Pichai to address concerns about the company’s AI Overviews feature, which has been found to provide misleading political and medical information from unreliable sources, including satirical sites and debunked conspiracy theories. Schiff, along with other lawmakers, acknowledges Google’s efforts to fix the issue by labeling the feature as experimental and removing problematic content, but they believe more needs to be done to ensure Google remains a trustworthy information source. The letter, co-signed by several other representatives, demands answers to eleven questions by August 1, 2024, and seeks further steps to prioritize reputable sources in AI-generated content.
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