Google shares answers to some frequently asked questions about AI Overviews

Ever since Google introduced AI Overviews, a new feature that uses generative AI to provide summaries alongside search results, there have been many questions swirling around it. To clear the air, Google has compiled a helpful FAQ to address questions like “What are AI Overviews?”, “Will disabling ‘AI Overviews and more’ disable all AI Overviews?”, and “Are AI Overviews always accurate?”

AI Overviews, powered by generative AI, aim to enhance the search experience by providing key information and links for users to explore topics further. However, one of the biggest questions on users’ minds is whether these AI-generated overviews can be disabled. Google confirms that while the ‘AI Overviews and more’ experiment in Search Labs can be turned off, the AI Overviews themselves cannot be disabled in regular searches, as they are treated similarly to knowledge panels. That said, if you want to know more about getting rid of AI Overviews, you can check out this article for more information, including workarounds.

Accuracy is another major concern raised, with users asking “Are AI Overviews always accurate?” Google acknowledges that generative AI can make mistakes, but states it is “constantly improving accuracy to ensure AI Overviews uphold Search’s quality standards.” I hope these improvements come fast, because Google’s AI has been telling people to do all sorts of weird stuff, including putting glue on their pizza.

For those wondering “Is AI Overviews available in all languages and regions?” or “How do I get access to AI Overviews?”, Google notes that the feature is currently available in the U.S. in English, with gradual rollouts planned for more regions and languages. The ‘AI Overviews and more’ experiment in Search Labs provides early access in certain countries.

Interestingly, the FAQ reveals that the ‘Search Generative Experience’ (SGE) experiment was renamed to ‘AI Overviews and more’ to better reflect the expanded AI features being tested, addressing the question “Why did the SGE (Search Generative Experience) name change?”

Google encourages user feedback on AI Overviews through upvotes, downvotes, and the ‘Share more feedback’ or ‘Report a problem’ options, stating that this input will help improve the experience. The company also explains the ‘Web filter’ feature, which displays only text-based links without AI Overviews or other AI-generated content, for those asking “What is the ‘Web filter’ feature?” and “How do I remove AI Overviews?”

So it’s clear that Google’s AI Overviews are here to stay, despite all the backlash. That said, we also tried running an experiment to get rid of AI generated content from Google Search results, here’s what we learned in the process.