Google’s AI Overviews, which provide quick answers to search queries, are now appearing less than 15% of the time, according to a recent analysis. The data, shared by BrightEdge and its BrightEdge Generative Parser, reveals a significant decline in the visibility of Google AI.
The analysis also uncovered some interesting trends in the appearance of AI Overviews. They are 195% more likely to appear when queries have a featured snippet, indicating that Google prioritizes providing quick answers in these cases. Additionally, question-based queries are more likely to feature AI Overviews. On the other hand, AI Overviews are less likely to show when sitelinks are present and on local queries.
The analysis also examined the industries where AI Overviews appear most often. Healthcare leads the way, with AI Overviews appearing in 63% of searches in that industry. However, this is a decline from 76% in January. On the other hand, AI Overviews appear less than 1% of the time for Restaurants (down from 36% in January) and Travel (down from 30% in January). This suggests that Google’s AI is more prevalent in certain industries, while it is less visible in others.
One interesting finding from the analysis is that Google has reduced the overlap between AI citations and classic search results. This means that users are less likely to see the same answers in two different types of search results. Additionally, for intent-based queries such as “what,” “where,” and “how,” Google is now more frequently doing multiple searches for users and anticipating follow-up questions before they are asked.
Despite the decline in the visibility of AI Overviews, BrightEdge Founder and Executive Chairman Jim Yu believes that AI in search will continue to accelerate and improve over time. While there may be some areas where Google’s AI is still fine-tuning its performance, Yu is confident that it will get exponentially better in terms of search quality, traffic flow, and monetization.
In conclusion, the analysis reveals that Google’s AI Overviews are appearing less frequently in search results, with a visibility rate of less than 15%. However, there are certain trends in their appearance, such as being more likely in queries with featured snippets and question-based queries. The visibility of AI Overviews also varies across industries, with healthcare leading the way and restaurants and travel lagging behind. Despite these fluctuations, the future of AI in search looks promising, with the potential for significant improvements in the coming years.
