Google’s AI Overviews have now reached more than 2 billion monthly users. The number was 1.5 billion last quarter, showing rapid growth. This reflects a major shift in online discovery and traffic patterns.
AI Overviews are generative summaries that appear above regular search results. They were launched in May 2023 and expanded widely in the U.S. by mid-2024. Since then, the feature has spread globally at a fast pace.
“AI overviews now have over 2 billion monthly users across more than 200 countries and territories and 40 languages,” said Google CEO Sundar Pichai on the company’s earnings call on Wednesday (July 23).
The growth is strong, adding 500 million users in one quarter. AI Overviews are becoming a key part of Google Search. For publishers, this shift impacts traffic and business models significantly.
“We know how popular AI overviews are because they are now driving over 10% more queries globally for the types of queries that show them, and this growth continues to increase over time,” Pichai added.
However, this does not mean AI Overviews account for 10% of all queries. It means that queries with AI Overviews see more engagement. The real effect on clicks and revenue is unclear.
A Pew Research Centre study shows early signs are negative for websites. When AI Overviews appear, only 8% of searches lead to a click, compared to 15% without them. Clicks on source links in Overviews are just 1%.
Google benefits the most from this change. Philipp Schindler, Google’s chief business officer, said AI Overviews “monetises at the same rate” as regular search. Publishers get no share unless traffic comes to their sites, which is falling.
Google is testing ads inside AI Overviews. This could lead to revenue sharing later. The company is also making deals with select publishers to keep them on board.
Regulators are watching closely. A U.S. judge may soon require Google to let publishers and YouTube creators opt out of AI training. In Europe, an antitrust complaint claims AI Overviews misuse content, hurting traffic and revenue.
Experts warn of a “Google Zero” future where clicks disappear. “We’re entering the post-click web: users get answers without needing to visit your site,” said Sam Hailstone of Brave Bison. SEO must now focus on presence and authority, not just rankings.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for latest news and updates
