Google is currently testing an overview of AI in the main Google search results, even if you haven’t opted in to Google Search’s Generative Experience Labs feature. A Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land that this was an experience with “a small subset of queries in U.S. search traffic.”
In May 2023, Google launched the Search Labs section to allow search users to opt-in to viewing and using Google SGE results, including AI overviews. Currently, some users in the United States may be able to see these AI answers without specifically opting in to see them.
Who and what will searchers see? Google plans to give some users in the US an overview of AI.
- Google starts with a set of queries where generative AI might be particularly useful.
- These queries are often more complex or include questions that help retrieve information from different web pages, such as “How do I get marks on a painted wall?” .
- Regarding these tests, Google said it has high confidence in the quality and value these queries bring to users. In general, Google said it will show AI summaries when it is truly additive and when people will get a better response than what they see in searches today.
- Google plans to test several different variations. Therefore, what searchers see in the experiment is not widely exposed to all users in this test.
Why now? Google said it is specifically seeking feedback from search users who have not opted in to SGE. Google explained that this will allow them to get feedback and help the broader public see how the technology can help them.
advertisement. please do not worry. Google will continue to show ads in these experiences. It seems like you were worried about that…
why do we care? These AI answers could depress both organic and standard search ads. Depending on the source of your citations and where Google places your ads, you may see less or more traffic to your site. Presumably, these experiences will result in less overall traffic to your site than current Google search results.
Time will tell when Google fully launches this, but for now you no longer need to be in SGE Labs to get an overview of AI and Google is actually testing it.
