Google claims AI Overviews are revolutionizing search habits.
However the knowledge tells a special story.
Since launching AI Overviews in 2024, Google CEO Sundar Pichai has repeatedly claimed they’re remodeling search habits:
Individuals are utilizing it to Search in completely new methods, and asking new sorts of questions, longer and extra advanced queries… and getting again the very best the online has to supply.1
The narrative has been constant throughout earnings calls and interviews:
- “We’ve been in a position to develop visitors to the ecosystem.”2
- “Development truly will increase over time as folks be taught to adapt to that new habits.”3
- “Primarily based on our testing, we’re inspired that we’re seeing a rise in search utilization amongst individuals who use the brand new AI overviews in addition to elevated person satisfaction with the outcomes.” (Supply)
But, Google has by no means backed these claims with precise knowledge.
So, I partnered with Similarweb to investigate over 5 billion search queries throughout a number of markets.
There’s an excessive amount of good knowledge on this evaluation to not share. So right this moment, you’re getting half one among a two-part sequence. Right here’s what we’ll cowl throughout each elements:
- Half 1: How AI Overviews have an effect on person habits on Google.
- Half 2: How AI Overviews influence visitors and engagement on web sites.
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The stand-out consequence?
Google’s claims are partially true however considerably oversimplified.
My evaluation with Similarweb exhibits:
- Individuals go to Google extra continuously (+9%) however spend much less time per go to.
- Question size has barely modified.
- And – most significantly for website positioning execs and entrepreneurs – the information reveals crucial insights about how one can adapt to this new search paradigm.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigAbout The Information
The info set consists of:
- Over 5 billion search queries and 20 million web sites.4
- Common time on website, searches per session, and visits per person on Google.com – each in complete and evaluating the UK, U.S., and Germany.
- A comparability of key phrases with and with out AI Overviews that analyze searches per session, common time spent on Google, and zero-click share.
- Web page views and time spent on Google.com for key phrases displaying AI Overviews vs. key phrases with out AI Overviews.
- Common question size for the UK, U.S., and Germany.
On this total declare, the phrase “Search utilization” isn’t very effectively outlined.
Is it extra searches, extra engagement with SERP options, or longer periods?
Sadly, I wasn’t in a position to pinpoint the precise definition of search utilization. It’s Google’s personal wording, and so it is likely to be deliberately imprecise. (Have your individual ideas on this? Let me know!)
Whether or not there has truly been an total enhance in Search utilization due to AI Overviews is extra advanced, relying on a number of elements. And the evaluation under exhibits clear patterns we are able to be taught from.
For the U.S. market particularly, the information confirms that the declare “We’re seeing a rise in Search utilization amongst individuals who use the brand new AI Overviews” is directionally right.
Right here’s how we all know it’s right: Google visits rose +9% after the Could 24 rollout (from 26.9% to 29.1%).
The preliminary drop may very well be defined by the PR catastrophe from the primary two weeks. (Bear in mind these unusual outcomes that talked about smoking when pregnant or glue in your pizza?)
Whereas U.S. visits to Google grew modestly from 2023 to mid-2024, a clearer upward pattern started round August 2024.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigOnce we have a look at the 2 comparative key phrase units – keep in mind, one set on this examine exhibits AIOs and one doesn’t – we are able to see that web page views on web sites from AIO key phrases have elevated by 22% for the reason that U.S. launch. (Proven by the purple line under).
I do know all of us need to discuss concerning the impact of AIOs on natural clicks, however we’ll get there. I’ll come again to the truth that non-AIO queries drive extra web page views in Half 2.
Nevertheless, the “Web page views on web sites” chart for U.S. searches under reveals two crucial insights:
- Web sites are receiving extra views from AIO key phrase searches over time, however
- Non-AIO queries drive about twice as many web page views (proven by the black line).
This means AI Overviews could also be rising engagement for particular question varieties whereas having a restricted influence on total visitors patterns.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigSubsequent, let’s check out the US, UK, and Germany markets in contrast.
Though Google has claimed “We’re seeing a rise in Search utilization amongst individuals who use the brand new AI Overviews,” on the whole, the SimilarWeb knowledge exhibits a extra nuanced story.
Right here’s how we all know the declare is barely partially right, relying in the marketplace:
The expansion of U.S. visits to Google is proportionally larger than in Germany (chart under), which is our management market as a result of AIOs didn’t roll on the market till March 2025.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigNevertheless, within the UK, the place AI Overviews rolled out in August 2024, visits are trending flat to down after the rollout (proven by way of the inexperienced line above).
In truth, there was extra engagement development from 2023 to 2024 (earlier than the AIO roll-out).
Finally, I contemplate Google’s declare incorrect for different markets outdoors the US:Extra SERP interplay doesn’t translate into longer on-Google periods.
Within the chart under, we are able to see that time-on-site for Google.com in each the US and UK has been both flat or declining.
And one thing is lowering time-on-site in Google DE pretty considerably. Perhaps it’s associated toGoogle dropping market share within the EU.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigWe see the identical pattern after we evaluate AIO-showing with non-AIO-showing queries within the chart under.
Time on Google for AIO queries falls by -1%.
Whereas this isn’t an enormous dip, it actually isn’t an “enhance in Search utilization.”
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigNotably, you’ll see within the chart under that pages-per-visit on Google.com declined throughout the board in 2024 after rolling out AIOs, however then they begin recovering and rising once more in 2025.
This chart exhibits a transparent dip in pages-per-visit instantly following the Could 2024 AIO launch, suggesting customers wanted fewer outcomes pages when AI Overviews answered their queries straight.
The following restoration in 2025 signifies both person adaptation or Google changes to how AIOs perform throughout the search expertise.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigHowever what about this sudden uplift in 2025?
It occurs in our managed market, Germany, as effectively. So, it’s not resulting from AIOs.
How do we all know this? Pop again as much as that Time on Website graph above that exhibits all three markets. And also you’ll see that Germany’s time on website exhibits a decline after the AIO launch.
Whereas I’m unsure what drives this pattern, I do surprise how much less time on Google impacts its backside line.
MBI revealed a really attention-grabbing deep dive on Alphabet with a chart that signifies that AI Overviews don’t monetize in addition to claimed.
As an alternative, an increase in value per click on appears to drive Alphabet’s excellent earnings.
To be honest, that pattern began in 2018, so it’s not clear how a lot AIOs have accelerated it.
Chart from MBI’s newest deep dive on Alphabet (Picture Credit score: Kevin Indig)We’re seeing a rise in Search utilization amongst individuals who use the brand new AI Overviews.
Primarily based on the information, this declare has layers of fact and omission.
Google visits did enhance post-AIO launch (+9%), and AIO key phrase pageviews rose impressively (+22%).
Nevertheless, the total image reveals necessary nuances that we have to keep in mind:
- UK visits remained flat after the AIO rollout, regardless of U.S. positive aspects.
- Time-on-site metrics are flat or declining throughout markets.
- Pages-per-visit initially dropped after AIOs launched.
The info suggests customers are visiting Google extra continuously however spending much less time per go to, doubtless as a result of AI Overviews present sooner solutions with out deeper exploration.
This sample aligns with a “resolve and go away” person habits, relatively than elevated engagement with Google itself.
Whereas it is likely to be technically true that “Search utilization” elevated by some metrics, the declare obscures how AIOs are essentially altering search interplay patterns at the price of net visitors.
Once we have a look at the information carefully, this declare doesn’t maintain true.
Right here’s how we all know it’s incorrect:
The expansion in question size is tiny – actually not a step-change to “completely new methods.”
We’re speaking a couple of very gradual enhance of three.27 to three.37 common phrases per question within the U.S. over the course of two years.
Certain, that’s solely 3% – and possibly on the scale of Google, that has a huge effect.
However that is no step change.
Picture Credit score: Kevin IndigThe distinction in question size between Could 2024 and February 2025 is barely +0.6%.
Within the UK, question size decreased by -0.3% after AI Overviews launched from 3.18 phrases in August 2024 to three.17 phrases in February 2025.
In Germany, question size elevated a bit (+0.4%) earlier than the AI Overviews launch.
Verdict: This Declare Is Overstated And Incorrect
Whereas Google experiences “Individuals are utilizing it to go looking…longer and extra advanced queries,” a better look exhibits in any other case.
The info exhibits solely minimal modifications in question size within the US, with the UK seeing a lower after AIOs rolled out.
The info merely doesn’t help the narrative that AI Overviews are driving customers to assemble “longer and extra advanced queries” in any significant method.
Once we look at the information carefully, a transparent sample emerges:
Google’s claims about how AI Overviews are essentially altering how we search are largely overstated.
Sure, customers go to Google extra continuously, however they’re spending much less time per go to and never crafting considerably longer or extra advanced queries.
This means AI Overviews are making a “fast reply” habits sample relatively than deeper engagement with search.
The modest will increase in visits are counterbalanced by decreases in time-on-site and pages-per-visit.
And the minimal change in question size throughout all markets – no matter whether or not AI Overviews have launched – signifies that any evolution in search habits is occurring independently of AI options.
These findings matter as a result of they problem the narrative that AI Overviews signify a revolutionary enhancement to go looking.
As an alternative, they’re altering person interplay patterns in ways in which Google hasn’t totally acknowledged.
Remember that I’m working with third-party knowledge, which might at all times be skewed or partial. I don’t suppose it’s improper, however we at all times have to preserve the constraints of the information in thoughts.
- Optimize for the brand new “go to extra, keep much less” sample: Customers are extra continuously turning to Google, however they’re spending much less time in search of solutions. Your content material technique ought to give attention to each being precisely represented in AI Overviews and offering deeper worth that encourages clicks when the overview isn’t enough.
- Deal with engagement high quality: The sample suggests customers are extra selective about clicking via, making the standard of expertise extra necessary than ever after they do attain your website.
- Consider regional variations: The numerous variations between U.S. and UK habits after AI Overview launches counsel regional testing is crucial – what works in a single market might not switch on to others.
In Half 2, we’ll discover the much more crucial query: What occurs to the broader net ecosystem when customers get their solutions straight on Google relatively than clicking via to web sites?
The reply will reveal whether or not Google’s claims about “rising visitors to the ecosystem” maintain as much as scrutiny.
1 Google I/O 2024: An I/O for a brand new era
2 CNBC Unique: CNBC Transcript: Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai Speaks with CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa on “Closing Bell: Extra time” At present
3 2024 Q3 Earnings Name
4 A 360-Diploma View into the Digital Panorama
Featured Picture: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Journal
