Short definition
Google AI Overviews are AI-generated answer panels at the top of Google search results that summarize information from multiple websites and link to the sources.
In depth
Launched as part of Google's Search Generative Experience and now widely rolled out, AI Overviews use Gemini to compose a synthesized answer for a query, drawing from web pages Google has indexed and trusts. For a publisher this means traffic patterns shift: queries that used to send a click now resolve inside Google, but pages that get cited inside the Overview often see disproportionate brand authority and downstream conversions. Optimizing for AI Overviews follows the same playbook as GEO: clear answers up front, schema markup, factual statements with sources, and topical depth.
Example
A 'how much does local SEO cost' query in Google now shows an AI Overview citing five agencies. The cited pages all share three traits: a direct dollar-range answer in the first paragraph, schema, and FAQ markup.