Google’s AI Overviews are reshaping the search landscape faster than anyone anticipated. These AI-generated summaries—appearing at the top of search results—are redefining how users interact with both organic and paid listings.

According to recent research by Adthena, advertisers could see click-through rates (CTR) drop by 8–12 percentage points, or up to a 40% relative decline, as AI Overviews occupy more real estate on the search results page.

What Are AI Overviews and Why They Matter

AI Overviews are Google’s generative responses that summarize information from multiple sources to answer user queries directly on the SERP. Unlike featured snippets that pull from one site or knowledge panels based on structured data, AI Overviews synthesize insights from across the web.

Their prime position above ads and organic listings makes them powerful—but also disruptive. As a result, businesses need to rethink how to sustain brand visibility in this new AI-driven environment.

Moving Down the Funnel

Initially, AI Overviews were triggered mostly by long, informational queries. But that’s changing fast.

Adthena’s latest data shows these generative results are now appearing on shorter, high-volume commercial keywords—the very ones that drive conversions and PPC revenue. This shift means AI Overviews are moving deeper into the marketing funnel, competing directly with paid search ads for attention.

Industry Insights: How AI Overviews Are Reshaping Search

Adthena analyzed over 21 million search results across five major industries—Retail, Travel, Finance, Healthcare, and Automotive. The findings show distinct patterns in how
AI Overviews are evolving by vertical:

• Finance: AI Overviews now appear on both informational and commercial queries, up nearly 10%, signaling increased overlap with PPC spaces.
• Healthcare: Still the most saturated sector, with AI Overviews visible on even short, 2–3 word medical queries.
• Travel: Steady 6% rise as AI Overviews expand into trip-planning and booking searches that were once dominated by ads.
• Retail: Moderate but steady growth, especially in product discovery and comparison queries.
• Automotive: Slow adoption, but rising in mid-length, intent-driven queries.

Across the board, the longer the search query, the higher the chance of triggering an AI Overview—but the gap is narrowing.

Who’s Winning (and Losing) Visibility

Brands that publish educational, comparison-rich content are gaining the most traction. In finance and healthcare, informational domains are being favored by AI-generated summaries, while ad-heavy sites are seeing visibility decline.

This shift highlights the growing need for content diversification—brands must balance paid campaigns with authoritative, high-value content that feeds AI-driven visibility.

Query Length Insights: What the Data Shows

AI Overviews are expanding across both short and long search terms, with key trends emerging:

• Finance: Broad growth (+10–15%) across all query types.
• Healthcare: Pullback (-21%) on complex queries—likely due to Google’s caution with sensitive topics.
• Retail: Gains (+6–11%) on long product-related searches.
• Travel: Steady expansion (+4–8%) in planning-related searches.
• Automotive: Modest growth in short and mid-length queries, but a decline (-25%) in long comparisons.

The takeaway: AI Overviews are getting smarter about intent. They’re evolving to dominate both informational and commercial searches, reshaping paid visibility along the way.

The SERP Has Changed—Are You Ready?

AI Overviews mark a turning point for digital advertising. Visibility is now harder to earn, competition is tightening, and adaptability is the new advantage.

To stay ahead, marketers must integrate AI-era insights into their PPC and SEO strategies—optimizing for both human audiences and generative AI systems.

As AI continues to rewrite the rules of search, one thing is certain: brands that evolve their paid search strategies today will be the ones leading tomorrow.

At SEO Guru NYC, we specialize in helping businesses adapt to the fast-changing digital landscape. As Google’s AI Overviews transform search visibility, our digital marketing services in New York ensure your brand stays competitive across organic, paid, and AI-driven results.

From data-driven PPC campaigns to advanced SEO strategies, we help you capture clicks, conversions, and customers—even in the era of AI.