Google has been making significant strides in the realm of AI-powered search capabilities over the past couple of years. The company first introduced AI Overviews, a feature that provides AI-summarized results in Google Search, two years ago. Since then, Google has been expanding this feature to new regions and languages, with great success. As of now, AI Overviews is being used by more than 1.5 billion users monthly across over 100 countries.
AI Overviews works by compiling information from various sources on the web to answer specific questions. For example, if you were to search for “What is generative AI?” AI Overviews would display AI-generated text at the top of the Google Search results page. While this feature has led to a decrease in traffic for some publishers, Google views AI Overviews and other AI-powered search capabilities as potential revenue drivers and engagement boosters for Search.
Last October, Google took things a step further by introducing ads in AI Overviews. Additionally, the company has been testing AI Mode, which allows users to ask complex questions and follow-ups within the flow of Google Search. This move is seen as Google’s attempt to compete with chat-based search interfaces like ChatGPT search and Perplexity.
During its Q1 2025 earnings call, Google also highlighted the growth of its other AI-based search products, such as Circle to Search. This feature enables users to highlight something on their smartphone’s screen and ask questions about it. Google revealed that Circle to Search is now available on more than 250 million devices, with usage increasing by close to 40% quarter-over-quarter.
Furthermore, visual searches on Google platforms have been on the rise. CEO Sundar Pichai stated that searches through Google Lens, the company’s multimodal AI-powered search technology, have increased by 5 billion since October. Additionally, the number of people using Lens for shopping purposes saw a growth of over 10% in Q1.
However, Google’s advancements in search technology come at a time of intense regulatory scrutiny. The U.S. Department of Justice has been pushing Google to spin off Chrome due to the tech giant’s illegal online search monopoly. Moreover, a federal judge recently ruled that Google holds an adtech monopoly, potentially paving the way for a breakup of the company.
Overall, Google’s commitment to enhancing its AI-powered search capabilities has proven to be a success, with the company continuously innovating and expanding its offerings to provide users with more efficient and engaging search experiences.
