Google AI Search Growth: A Deliberate Strategy

Google's Expanding AI Search Capabilities

Two years ago, Google initiated testing of AI-summarized results within Google Search, known as AI Overviews. The feature’s rollout continues to encompass new geographic regions and languages.

The company reports significant success with this initiative. Currently, AI Overviews is utilized by over 1.5 billion users each month, spanning more than 100 countries globally.

How AI Overviews Works

AI Overviews functions by synthesizing information from various web sources to provide answers to specific queries. For instance, a search for “What is generative AI?” will display an AI-generated text summary at the top of the Google Search results page.

While the introduction of this feature has resulted in decreased traffic for some publishers, Google anticipates that AI-powered search capabilities, including AI Overviews, will become substantial revenue generators and enhance user engagement with Google Search.

New Developments in AI Search

In October of the previous year, Google integrated advertisements into AI Overviews. More recently, testing began on AI Mode, enabling users to pose complex questions and subsequent follow-ups directly within the Google Search interface.

This represents Google’s effort to compete with conversational search platforms such as ChatGPT search and Perplexity.

Growth of Circle to Search and Visual Search

During its Q1 2025 earnings call, Google also highlighted the expansion of its other AI-based search products, notably Circle to Search.

Circle to Search, which allows users to highlight objects on their smartphone screens and ask questions about them, is now accessible on over 250 million devices – an increase from approximately 200 million devices reported late last year.

Usage of Circle to Search has increased by nearly 40% compared to the previous quarter, according to Google’s data.

Increasing Popularity of Google Lens

Google also reported consistent growth in visual searches across its platforms. Google Lens, the company’s multimodal AI-powered search technology, has seen a 5 billion increase in searches since October, as stated by CEO Sundar Pichai.

The number of users engaging in shopping through Google Lens rose by over 10% in Q1.

Regulatory Challenges

This growth occurs amidst heightened regulatory oversight of Google’s search practices. The U.S. Department of Justice is currently pressuring Google to divest Chrome following a court ruling that identified the company’s possession of an illegal online search monopoly.

Furthermore, a federal judge has determined that Google maintains a monopoly in the adtech sector, potentially leading to a company breakup.