Google AI Overviews – Key Updates (Aug 2024)
According to Google, early data suggests that integrating links directly into AI overviews increases traffic to the linked pages. However, this increase is likely in comparison to the previous AI overview format, not to traditional search results.
Google is upgrading its AI-generated search summaries, known as “AI Overviews,” which were introduced in May. The company says it is rolling out several new features to improve the user experience and functionality.
The updates include a redesigned layout for web links, the ability to save AI summaries, and an option to simplify the language used in these overviews. Advertisements will appear above or below the AI-generated content.
One significant change is the display of web links associated with AI summaries. On desktop, these links now appear in a separate section on the right side of the screen. Mobile users can access them via icons in the top-right corner. Google is also experimenting with embedding links to relevant websites directly within the summary text.
- UI changes for links:
- Desktop → links shown in a right-side section.
- Mobile → links via top-right icons.
- Experiment: embedding links directly into summary text.
- New features:
- Save AI overviews for later reference.
- Option to simplify language in summaries.
- Ads placement: Above or below the AI-generated summary.
- Impact on traffic: Early data suggests embedded links increase traffic compared to the old AI Overview format, but likely still less than traditional search.
- Expansion: Rollout to UK, India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil (with local language support).
- Adoption trend: Younger users (18–24) show higher uptake.
- Criticism:
- Copyright concerns: summaries replicate site content without consent (except Reddit).
- Risk of misinformation, unclear accountability.
- Ecosystem imbalance vs. approaches like Perplexity/OpenAI paying select publishers.
Bottom line: Google is iterating to make AI Overviews more usable and slightly more traffic-friendly for publishers, but structural concerns about copyright, content ownership, and reduced site visits remain unresolved.
Source: Google
