AI Overviews have opened up new possibilities for users by providing a structured response to their queries without requiring them to sift through vast amounts of information. Sometimes, it not only fulfills the user’s primary expectation but also offers additional solutions tailored to their needs. In this article, we will examine how AI Overviews work and how they impact the user search journey.
What are AI Overviews?
The creation of a customized Gemini search, which combines real-time information, Google’s ranking system, and various multimodal functions, enables Google to incorporate even more AI into the search process and provide AI-based overviews in response to user queries.
This means a new search feature emerges, where AI generates an answer to the user’s query, and that answer is displayed in the top position above other search results. The main goal of this technology is to improve the user’s search experience by delivering an answer as quickly as possible without having to browse through multiple websites.
Often, particularly complex searches can take a considerable amount of time and may need to be rephrased several times to find the correct answer. AI-generated overviews make it possible to obtain a precise answer in a single search.
However, the integration of AI into search results may have deeper implications. It is anticipated that AI overviews will feature advertisements for products or services, not only providing an answer to the query but also suggesting where a specific product relevant to the search can be purchased. This ensures that users, when looking for solutions to a particular issue, can quickly learn about it, read more, and even be directed to the appropriate services or products that resolve their problem.
How does AI Overviews Impact User Search Behaviour?
There have been numerous discussions about how this Google powered feature could affect the entire user search process, potentially altering the way the web and websites operate. However, during the trial phase, the company observed that users clicked on a wider variety of websites. It was also mentioned that for simple queries, traditional search results would remain, but for complex and multi-faceted tasks, AI-generated overviews would appear.
On one hand, this could lead to more searches being completed without additional clicks, reducing natural traffic to websites. On the other hand, if content is prominently featured and cited by AI, its visibility could significantly increase, resulting in more clicks for specific websites.
Not only does this simplify and speed up the user’s search process by instantly generating the required answer, along with additional suggestions, but it can also be useful for daily tasks. For example, the Gemini agent can be used to plan a family menu or organize travel.
However, experts acknowledge that this technology was largely released in response to competitors’ progress, and the product itself is not yet perfect. AI-generated overviews do not always meet user expectations, but product representatives assure that the technology’s operation will continue to be refined, and the quality of the insights will improve.
Final Word
While AI Overviews greatly facilitate the user’s access to needed information and even integrate specific companies offering relevant solutions, they also pose a threat to another group – websites that may lose visitors.
In this context, it’s crucial to understand how AI operates and how sources are selected, so website creators can properly adapt. As this technology evolves, its capabilities will expand, offering even more possibilities in the future.
If you are interested in this topic, we suggest you check our articles:
- Google Traffic: AI vs Human Content – Navigating Expectations, Reality and Future Prospects
- Responsible Web Scraping in the Age of AI
Sources: Semrush, TechCrunch, The Verge
