AI Overviews replaced Search Generative Experience (SGE) as a general-availability feature in 2024. They appear on queries where Google predicts a synthesised answer will be more useful than a list of links, and they compress classic organic results further down the page.
How they choose sources
Google selects sources from the top ranking results plus additional pages retrieved for the sub-questions the overview answers. Cited sources receive a link but not a full snippet, and click-through rates on those citations are lower than classic organic clicks.
Example
Searching "how does keyword difficulty work" returns an AI Overview citing three sources. The first classic organic result appears below the fold on mobile.
How SEM Optimiser reports it
The prompt-tracker records AI Overview presence per query, which sources are cited, and how often your domain is included.
Related terms
- SGE (Search Generative Experience)
Search Generative Experience was Google's experimental AI-generated answer feature, launched in 2023 and superseded by AI Overviews in 2024.
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)
Answer Engine Optimisation is the practice of structuring content so it is selected and cited by answer-first engines including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews.
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
Generative Engine Optimisation is a broader discipline than AEO, covering how content, brand entity, and technical signals influence generation by large language models across all AI surfaces.
- Featured Snippet
A featured snippet is a boxed answer displayed at the top of a Google SERP that quotes text or a list from a ranking page.