Google is fundamentally changing how people search online, moving away from traditional keyword-based queries toward a more conversational, AI-driven experience. The company announced Tuesday it will expand its AI Overviews feature, now powered by the latest Gemini 3 model, and include a built-in chatbot-like interface for follow-up questions.
The Shift to Conversational Search
For years, Google Search has trained users to optimize for keywords—often resulting in awkward phrasing but effective results. Now, Google is signaling that this strategy is obsolete; the company wants users to interact with Search as they would with Gemini or other large language models (LLMs).
The new system allows longer, more natural language queries, which it will parse and respond to using AI. If a user asks a follow-up question, they’ll be redirected to AI Mode, where the chatbot takes the lead, handling the bulk of the search process.
What This Means for Users
The change is rolling out globally on mobile now, and there’s currently no easy way to disable AI Overviews. Google is pushing users toward an AI-assisted search experience, where the engine anticipates needs and provides tailored responses.
This trend aligns with Google’s broader plan to integrate AI across its products, including Pixel smartphones. The company has also introduced personalized intelligence, allowing users to connect their Google apps to receive AI-driven results based on their interests and habits. For example, if you frequently search for ice cream shops in travel photos, the AI might suggest them in your next AI-planned itinerary.
Why Publishers Should Worry
The move to AI-driven search is likely to further harm publishers, who have already seen traffic decline due to AI Overviews pushing down organic search results. The addition of an AI chatbot interface means that traditional blue links will become even less visible, as users rely more on AI-generated answers.
“The goal is one fluid experience with prominent links to continue exploring,” according to Robby Stein, Google’s vice president of product for Google Search. But for many publishers, this may mean less exploring of their sites and more reliance on Google’s AI-curated content.
This represents a fundamental shift in the search landscape, where AI is not just enhancing Search but replacing it. The future of online information access is becoming less about finding websites and more about interacting with an AI agent that delivers answers directly.
