Google AI Overviews launched generally in May 2024 (evolving from the earlier Search Generative Experience) and now compress many search results into a synthesised paragraph with a small set of cited sources. Independent studies put the average CTR reduction on affected queries in the 30 to 50% range, with Pew Research finding clicks fall from 15% to 8% when an AI Overview is present; in worst-case publisher submissions to the UK CMA, DMG Media reported desktop CTR dropping ~89% on queries where an AI Overview appeared. Tracking visibility inside AI Overviews specifically, not just inside ChatGPT-style answer engines, is now table stakes for any AI visibility tool.
AI visibility glossary
AI Overview
AI Overview is the AI-generated summary that appears at the top of a Google search results page, replacing or preceding the traditional ranked links.