AI Overview: Where Do The Results Displayed Come From?

Since the Google I/O conference on May 14, 2024, the topic “AI Overview” has been on everyone’s lips. While waiting for its deployment in Europe, we shed light on the various sources of Google’s AI and how it processes data to offer increasingly relevant results.

Reminder: What is AI Overview?

AI Overview, formerly known as Google Search Generative Experience (SGE), is a Google search feature that uses artificial intelligence to generate comprehensive and informative summaries on a variety of topics.

AI Overview summaries appear in Google search results when Google’s algorithm determines they may be useful to the user.

These summaries typically include a description of the topic, key points of related information, and links to additional sources.

What Are the Sources of AI Overview?

AI Overview cross-references different sources to best respond to user queries. Although the algorithm is constantly evolving, there are currently four main sources of information for the search engine’s artificial intelligence.

Source #1: The Knowledge Graph

The first source of information for AI Overview is Google’s Knowledge Graph.

Therefore, the Knowledge Graph is a database, while the Knowledge Panel is a means to visualise and interact with the information from the Knowledge Graph.

The Eiffel Tower’s Knowledge Panel includes photos of the tower, online reviews (like a typical Google Business Profile), links to ticket reservation sites, a brief description, and other useful information.

The sources for the Knowledge Graph come from data providers such as Wikipedia, Google Maps, The Guardian and Bloomberg.

Presence Management

• Update your information effortlessly
• Completion guide and suggestions
• Distribute on all the platforms that count

Request a free demo

Source #2: Google’s Tools and Databases

In addition to the Knowledge Graph, AI Overview also uses its own structured databases to respond to user queries.

Various Google tools provide the search engine with a large amount of data that can appear in AI Overview results.

Five Examples of Google Tools Providing Structured Data to the Search Engine

These structured databases enrich Google’s AI and give it a considerable advantage over competitors (like OpenAI).

Therefore, information from these databases is highly likely to appear in AI Overview results.

Source #3: Websites

In an era where the trend is towards “no-click search”, AI Overview aims to become a real answer engine. Indeed, there is no need to click on many links; the answer to the user’s question appears in a few lines (or even a few words) directly in the search results.

However, a certain number of links still appear below (or next to) this short answer. These are the sources of the disclosed information, useful for users who want to verify the reliability of the information or delve deeper.

Therefore, Google exploits information available on websites to feed AI Overview, in addition to the Knowledge Graph and its structured databases.

Source #4: User-Generated Content (UGC)

Finally, User-Generated Content is a key source of information for AI Overview.

For a while now, we have noticed that Google can take into account photos and reviews posted by users to adapt its search results. 

This seems even more the case with AI Overview: photos and reviews published on business’s Google listings directly impact the search results. UGC is considered “neutral” and “unbiased” because it does not come from the business itself.

It is even possible to see TikTok videos appear in AI Overview results!

Easily get dozens of reviews

Partoo enables companies to obtain an average of 60 per cent more reviews through SMS and QR code solicitation.

Get more reviews now

Key Takeaways

If AI Overview cross-references several sources to determine search results ranking, one constant remains essential in the eyes of the search engine: the quality of the data. 

To maximise your chances of appearing in AI Overview results, provide as much data as possible about your business, including structured data (elements of your Google listing, your website’s metadata) and unstructured data (UGC, photos, and customer reviews). 

Do not put all your eggs in one basket: it would be risky to focus all your efforts on a single source of information (such as your website). Algorithm updates can be sudden: now more than ever, maximise your online presence and gather more customer reviews to ensure a prominent place in Google search results!