AI Overviews
Google Search's AI-generated answer block at the top of results pages, sourced from indexed structured data.
Definition
AI Overviews is Google's generative AI feature in Search (formerly Search Generative Experience / SGE). For informational queries, Google generates a synthesized answer at the top of the results page, citing source URLs. It sources answers primarily from indexed pages with strong structured-data signals (FAQPage, HowTo, Article).
When to use
Optimize for AI Overviews by adding correct JSON-LD structured data and writing answer-extractable prose — short, fact-dense paragraphs the model can quote without rewriting.
See also
- structured data — Machine-readable metadata embedded in a page that describes its entities — consumed by search and AI engines.
- Perplexity — AI answer engine that searches the live web and returns synthesized answers with inline citations.
- ChatGPT — OpenAI's consumer LLM product — chat, browse, and run plugins on the web via GPT-class models.
Mentioned in
- AI search invisibility: 7 reasons your site isn't cited (and how to fix each)
- AI SEO Magic Button: whole-site AI citation audit in one command
- FAQPage Schema: The Highest-ROI Signal for AI Overviews
- How to get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude in 2026
- Launching the AI-SEO MCP: 13 tools to get your pages cited by AI assistants