Google is now testing AI overviews in top Google search results, even if you haven’t opted into Google’s Generative Search Experience Labs feature. Google said it was an experiment on a “subset of queries, about a small percentage of search traffic in the US,” a Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land.
In May 2023, Google opened a Search Labs section for searchers to choose to view and use Google SGE results, which contained general descriptions of AI. Some US users may now see these AI responses without specifically opting in to see them.
Who and what searchers will see. Google will show AI overviews to a small subset of US users.
Google starts first with a set of queries where it thinks generative AI can be particularly useful. These queries are often more complex or involve questions where it might be useful to get information from a number of web pages, such as “how do I get marks off painted walls”. For these tests, Google said it has high confidence in the quality and value these queries bring to users. In general, Google told us it would show AI overviews when it’s truly additive and in cases where people have a better answer than what they’d see in Search today. Google will test a few different variations, so what searchers see in the experiments may not be launched for all users in this test.
why now Google told us they want feedback from searchers who haven’t specifically opted in to SGE. That way, they can get feedback and learn how a more general population will find this technology useful, Google explained.
Announcements Don’t worry, Google will continue to show ads in these experiences. Like you’re worried about that…
Why we care These AI responses can bring down both organic and standard search ads. It can result in less, or potentially more, traffic to your site, depending on where the citations are referenced and where Google places the ads. These experiences are likely to drive less overall traffic to sites than current Google Search results do.
Time will tell when Google fully releases it, but right now, you don’t need to be in the SGE labs to see AI overviews, Google is testing it out in the wild.
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