If AI Overviews feel like they're on every search lately, the data says you're not imagining it. Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable reports they now show up on over 80% of Google searches.
TL;DR: AI Overviews now appear on over 80% of Google searches, up from about 50% last June and about 15% the year before. The exact share changes by industry and query type, so check your own numbers before you change your plan.
📈 AI Overviews Went From Rare to Default in Two Years
Schwartz's article puts the share at over 80% of searches today. The same article says it was around 50% last June, and about 15% the year before that.
The figures come from three tools most SEOs already use: Semrush, SE Ranking, and seoClarity. That matters because it isn't one person's screenshot. Several data sources point the same way.
In plain terms, AI Overviews are no longer a test. For most searches, the answer box is now part of the page you're trying to rank on.
🏷️ Even Brand Searches Now Trigger Them
SE Ranking reported that AI Overviews appear on 82.5% of US brand searches. Brand searches are the ones people use to find a company directly, so you might expect Google to just show the company's own site.
Schwartz points out that if the rate is this high for brand searches, it could be even higher for non-branded informational queries. That is his reasoning, not a measured number, so treat it as a reasonable guess.
He also notes that a month ago, Google was seen showing AI Overviews for "tons of brand searches." Some of those were even for fake or incorrect queries.
🏭 Your Industry Changes the Number
Mark Traphagen of seoClarity shared data showing AI Overviews on over 62% of queries. Depending on the industry, that ranges from 55% to 84%.
That is lower than the 80% headline, and it's a good reminder that tools measure different sets of queries. An average hides the spread. A business in an 84% industry has a different problem than one in a 55% industry.
Semrush adds two useful pieces. It runs a live chart through its Semrush Sensor tool, and it has published studies that break AI Overview appearances down by industry and by type of query.
🛠️ What to Do With a Number Like This
Check Your Own Industry's Rate
Start with the Semrush Sensor chart and the industry breakdowns in Semrush's studies. You want to know whether your market sits closer to 55% or 84%. That tells you how much of your search traffic could be affected.
Search Your Brand Name and Read the Answer
Type your company name into Google and see whether an AI Overview appears. If it does, read what it says about you. Check that the description is accurate and that it matches how you describe yourself.
Compare Your Data Before You Change Your Plan
The article notes that AI-generated answers at the top of the page can mean fewer clicks to traditional listings. It is worth checking whether that shows up in your own Search Console data rather than assuming it. Your numbers should drive the decision, not the headline.
Hit reply
Search your own brand name in Google today. Does an AI Overview show up, and does it describe your business correctly? Send me what you see.
One thing I'm thinking about: Schwartz ends by saying this is no surprise to anyone in the industry, but that Google is really going all in on AI Overviews. I agree with both halves of that.
The 80% figure tells you where Google is heading. The more useful number is the one for your industry and your queries, and most of us haven't looked it up yet.
Till next time,
