Google has significantly reduced the presence of its AI Overviews feature in search results following a backlash due to numerous inaccuracies and absurd suggestions. Introduced in May, AI Overviews provided quick summaries to help users find relevant information faster. However, early issues included bizarre recommendations like adding glue to pizza and suggesting more cooking oil to extinguish an oil fire.
Within a week of its launch, Google cut the appearance of AI overviews from 27% to 11% of search results. A new report from Search Engine Land, using data from SEO firm BrightEdge, indicates that this number has dropped even further. The reduction has been particularly notable in contributions from user-generated sources like Reddit and Quora.
The AI Overviews were designed to pull information from various sources to create summaries. However, due to the unreliable nature of content from platforms like Reddit and Quora, these sources have been nearly eliminated from the feature. According to BrightEdge, Reddit contributions to AI Overviews have decreased by 85.71%, while Quora's have dropped by 99.69%.
Specific categories have seen the most significant decline in AI Overview usage. Entertainment-related searches that featured AI Overviews fell from 14% to 0%, education queries dropped from 26% to 13%, and e-commerce searches went from 26% to 9%. These changes reflect Google's adjustments, including removing product viewers, carousels, and comparison tables from AI Overviews.
The feature now primarily appears in searches that include phrases like "Best," "What is," "How to," and "Symptoms of," while searches involving brand names, general products, or lifestyle content are less likely to trigger AI Overviews.
The AI Overviews occupy 13% less space on search result pages. Google also works to prevent duplicate content by not citing the same sources in the AI Overviews and the search results below.
Despite these reductions, Google has partially abandoned AI Overviews. The tool remains active, though its future remains uncertain. Users who prefer a more traditional search experience can adjust their settings to minimize AI Overviews and other AI features.