Key Points:
- Google’s AI Overviews now appear in only 15% of search queries, down from an initial 40-50%.
- The reduction follows viral mistakes and public criticism of the feature.
- Google is focusing on improvements and user feedback to refine AI Overview functionality.
In mid-May, Google launched AI Overviews to all users, promising a new layer of information directly in search results. However, recent data indicates a significant reduction in their appearance, with AI Overviews now showing up in only about 15% of search queries.
Initially, AI Overviews were a prominent feature, intended to provide additional context and information directly in search results. Despite this promising start, by the end of May, numerous errors made by the AI quickly went viral, prompting widespread criticism. Google defended the feature but acknowledged the need for improvements and committed to addressing dangerous inaccuracies.
Data from BrightEdge, an enterprise SEO platform, reveals this scaling back. When AI Overviews were first introduced, they appeared in 40-50% of searches. Now, however, the frequency has dropped to around 15%, often in a collapsed or opt-in format. This is a stark contrast to the high visibility during the initial phase and even compared to the 84% appearance rate noted during the Search Generative Experience (SGE) experiment that began in 2023.
The data suggests that Google is recalibrating its approach to AI Overviews, likely in response to public and media scrutiny. Google remains committed to refining the feature, emphasizing user feedback and improving protections against inaccuracies. While the current visibility of AI Overviews has decreased, Google continues to explore ways to integrate AI into search responsibly and effectively.
