**WHO:** Apple, Google, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, Perplexity **WHEN:** Now Google's new AI Overviews, utilizing its Gemini language model, are set to transform how billions search the internet. Generative search is the first step toward an AI agent capable of addressing any question or completing any task. Instead of listing links, AI Overviews provide concise answers to queries, allowing for quick insights without the need to scroll through multiple sources. Following its shaky US release in May 2024, which included some nonsensical results, Google restricted the use of content generated by users or sourced from satire and humor sites. Explore the full 2025 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. The rise of generative search extends beyond Google. In 2024, Microsoft and OpenAI launched their versions as well.

Now, AI-assisted searches on our computers and other devices analyze images, audio, and video to deliver tailored answers. However, given Google’s global search dominance, it remains the most influential player, having already expanded AI Overviews to over a billion users worldwide. Searches increasingly resemble conversations. Both Google and OpenAI report that users engage differently with generative search, asking more extended questions and seeking follow-ups. This AI advancement has significant implications for online advertising and media. Since these AI-driven search tools often summarize content from online news and articles, there's a concern that users might not need to click through to original sources, potentially reducing ad revenue. Several publishers and artists have sued over the use of their content in AI model training, and now generative search is poised to become another point of contention between the media and big tech companies.