Google’s introduction of AI-generated summaries in search results, known as AI Overviews, has seen significant growth since its initial rollout two years ago. The feature, which collects information from across the internet to answer user questions directly in search results, is now being used by over 1.5 billion people each month across more than 100 countries.
When users search for topics like “What is generative AI?”, AI Overviews generates a concise summary that appears at the top of the results page. Although some publishers have expressed concerns about reduced website traffic, Google views AI Overviews and similar features as promising opportunities to drive revenue and increase user engagement within its search ecosystem.
To capitalize on this, Google began incorporating advertisements into AI Overviews last October. In addition, it has recently started testing a new offering called AI Mode, designed to allow users to ask more detailed questions and engage in a conversational search experience, similar to platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
In its first-quarter earnings call for 2025, Google emphasized the growth of its broader AI-powered search tools, including Circle to Search. This tool, which lets users highlight parts of their smartphone screen and immediately inquire about them, has now expanded to more than 250 million devices — up from around 200 million at the end of last year. The company reported a 40% increase in Circle to Search usage from the previous quarter.
Google also highlighted a surge in visual search activity during the earnings call. CEO Sundar Pichai shared that searches conducted through Google Lens — the company’s AI-based visual search tool — have grown by 5 billion since October. Additionally, the number of users engaging in shopping through Lens rose by over 10% during the first quarter of the year.
Despite this impressive growth in AI-enhanced search capabilities, Google is facing mounting regulatory challenges. The U.S. Department of Justice is pushing for the potential separation of Chrome from Google’s broader business after a court determined the company holds an unlawful monopoly over online search. Separately, a federal judge has ruled that Google also maintains a monopoly in the advertising technology sector, raising the possibility of further legal action that could reshape the company’s structure.
Google’s rapid expansion in AI-driven tools marks a new chapter for search technology — one that blends innovation with growing regulatory pressures.
