In a significant evolution of its search engine, Google integrates AI Overviews with AI Mode in Search, testing a new unified layout. This change combines AI-generated summaries directly with a conversational chat interface at the top of the results page, aiming to create a more seamless and interactive user experience. For publishers and brands, this shift signals a critical need to adapt SEO strategies for visibility within these new AI-driven answers.
Why the blended design matters
Google is testing a new search interface that merges AI Overviews directly with its conversational AI Mode. This integration places a generated summary at the top of results, which can be expanded into an interactive chat, allowing users to ask follow-up questions without leaving the search page.
This blended design is significant because AI Overviews are already widespread. According to Single Grain, they appear in 19% of U.S. desktop searches and over 50% of all queries across devices (Single Grain guide). By merging these summaries with AI Mode’s chat function, Google bridges the gap between receiving a static answer and starting an interactive dialogue, removing a key point of friction for users.
Traffic Implications for Publishers
Early data from marketing agencies indicates a noticeable shift in user behavior and traffic. Top-ranking pages (positions 1-3) can experience a measurable loss in click-through rates when an AI Overview is displayed. While some traffic is redirected to sources cited within the AI summary, many user sessions now conclude on the results page itself.
Publishers should anticipate the following trends:
- Users engaging in longer conversational sessions, reducing the need for new search queries.
- Increased user dwell time on Google’s platform as they interact with the AI.
- A heightened focus on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) as a crucial factor for being cited.
- A greater need for well-implemented structured data to appear in AI-generated answers.
User adoption patterns
While AI Overviews have successfully increased query volume by over 10% in relevant categories, according to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, user retention for the standalone AI Mode has been a challenge. Research reveals that more than half of users who try the chat feature do not use it again.
This new integrated interface is Google’s strategy to boost adoption. By placing the chat prompt directly within the AI Overview, it lowers the cognitive barrier to entry. As Robby Stein, Google’s VP of Product for Search, explained to TechCrunch, the goal is to make the transition from summary to conversation effortless, so users “shouldn’t have to think about where or how to ask your question” (TechCrunch report).
Commercial context
The commercial implications are already taking shape, with advertisements now appearing within AI Overviews for English-language users in the UK. Marketing agencies anticipate a rapid expansion of this generative ad inventory as performance metrics become more stable. For businesses, achieving visibility within the AI answer layer is becoming a key strategic goal for both paid and organic marketing.
What to watch through 2026
Looking ahead to 2026, forecasts suggest that AI Overviews could appear in as many as 40% of all informational searches. The continued scaling of Google’s Gemini models will also integrate multimodal search – using images and voice – more deeply into the core search experience. To maintain visibility in this evolving landscape, publishers must focus on providing original research, interactive tools, and authoritative, in-depth content.
What exactly is changing for users who turn on AI Mode?
Google is rolling out a unified interface that turns the AI Overview into a direct entry point for AI Mode.
– Users with AI Mode enabled will see a “Go deeper” chip on the overview, which opens a chat panel without leaving the page.
– The objective is to remove the extra click currently required to switch between standard Search and AI Mode.
– While classic search results will still be present, they will be positioned below a more prominent, interactive overview that can be expanded into a full conversation.
How often will I see an AI Overview once the integration is live?
Current data indicates that AI Overviews are already present in more than half of all global searches, and this frequency is increasing.
– Following the March 2025 core update, Google doubled the number of query types that trigger an Overview, a trend expected to continue.
– For informational and comparison-based searches in English, coverage is nearing 90% in markets like the U.S., U.K., and India.
– On mobile devices, the AI Overview’s footprint is especially large, sometimes appearing with ads above all organic results.
Why does Google believe the merged experience is better?
Google’s internal data, mentioned in its Q3 2025 earnings report, shows that AI Overviews lead to “more than 10% extra queries per session,” indicating higher user engagement.
– The company believes this integrated experience reduces “pogo-sticking” (users clicking back and forth) and can synthesize information from more diverse sources than a standard results page.
– For complex topics, the system can perform multiple sub-searches in the background to generate a comprehensive, single answer.
– The format is proving particularly popular with younger users (ages 18-24), who show the highest growth in query volume.
Will my favourite sites still get traffic?
While studies from 2025 show that the presence of an AI Overview can reduce organic click-through rates by 30-46%, traffic does not disappear entirely.
– Clicks are redistributed, with sites cited in the Overview’s 2-5 link chips often receiving incremental traffic.
– Content that provides original data, unique tools, or deep community insights remains valuable, as AI models rely on such verifiable sources.
– Optimizing content with clear headings, current information, and structured data (schema) can make a publisher up to 2.6 times more likely to be featured, which helps mitigate traffic loss.
When will the merged experience roll out to everyone?
Currently, the integrated experience is in an invite-only testing phase. Based on past rollouts, a gradual global launch is expected after it meets Google’s quality standards.
– Google can scale features rapidly; for example, AI Mode grew from 100 million monthly to 75 million daily users in just one quarter.
– Since AI Mode is already supported in over 40 languages, a broad rollout can occur without significant translation delays.
– Barring regulatory hurdles, SEO experts anticipate full availability in the first half of 2026, likely beginning with mobile users in English-speaking markets.
