Recently, Google has decided to overhaul its search engine with the help of Artificial Intelligence. As of May 14th, 2024, Google has rolled out AI Overviews for search results in the U.S. Written by Gemini, Google’s AI chatbot, these overviews appear at the top of the search results page.
“What we see with generative AI is that Google can do more of the searching for you,” says Liz Reid, Google’s newly installed head of Search. “It can take a bunch of the hard work out of searching, so you can focus on the parts you want to do to get things done, or on the parts of exploring that you find exciting.” Experts say that this move will help Google compete with the likes of Open AI, creator of ChatGPT, and Microsoft.
What to Expect from Google AI Overviews
These new overviews will be part of Google’s layout for the foreseeable future. However, at the moment, it has more of an emphasis on informational searches. For example, in the past when a user looked up something like “cure for the common cold”, Google would lead them to hundreds of pages all offering their own answer.
Now, AI writes an overview of these cures in one easily digestible page with links to resources for more information. However, these links won’t necessarily be the ones where the AI got the information either.
As of now, the AI overviews focus less on transactional searches (e.g. “Plumber in Phoenix”). AI is also not affecting SMB campaigns or service-based searches (e.g. “Plumber Near Me” or “Best Chinese Food Delivery”) at the moment either.
Can I Turn Off Google AI Overviews?
As of now, Google has not provided a direct option to disable AI Overviews entirely. However, users can manage their privacy settings to limit data collection and personalize their experience to some extent. It remains crucial for users to stay informed about updates and options available to ensure they are comfortable with how their information is handled by Google’s AI systems.
V Digital Services Can Help You Navigate the Impacts of AI Overviews
Although AI is not affecting SMB campaigns or service-based searches now, it could in the future. Getting on top of this is a must for any growing business. The solution is to invest in Organic SEO now in order to set a strong foundation for when AI affects service-based searches as well. V Digital Services is here to help.
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