In a recent study conducted by an SEO company, it was observed that Google’s AI-generated search results, known as AI Overviews, have been appearing less frequently in search queries. The data collected by BrightEdge and reported on by Search Engine Land reveals that AI Overviews dropped from appearing in 11 percent of queries on June 1st to only 7 percent of queries on June 30th.
One of the key problems highlighted by the study is the quality of the AI Overviews being presented by Google. In the past, there have been instances where AI Overviews have cited unreliable sources such as Reddit and Quora, leading to bizarre and nonsensical search results. For example, there have been instances where Google recommended putting glue on pizza, a suggestion that was pulled from a Reddit thread. Such inaccuracies have raised doubts about the credibility and trustworthiness of AI-generated results.
Following the backlash received from users regarding the bizarre AI-generated results, Google has defended AI Overviews but acknowledged the need for improvements. The company has stated that it has made changes to address the issue, such as limiting the use of user-generated content in AI Overviews and implementing better tools to detect nonsensical queries. Despite this, Google spokesperson Ashley Thompson has criticized the methodology of the study and claimed that the findings do not accurately reflect what Google has observed.
AI Overviews are a crucial initiative for Google as they aim to provide users with valuable and helpful information beyond existing search features. However, if users do not trust or like the AI-generated results, they may turn to competitors such as Microsoft, OpenAI, or Perplexity for their search needs. This could potentially result in a significant loss for Google in terms of market share and user trust.
The decline in AI-generated search results on Google raises questions about the reliability and effectiveness of AI Overviews. While Google remains optimistic about the future of AI Overviews, it is clear that there is a need for further refinement and improvement in order to provide users with accurate and trustworthy search results. As competition in the AI space continues to grow, Google must prioritize enhancing the quality of AI-generated results to maintain its position as a leading search engine.
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