Google Buried in AI: Search Summaries Expand by Default

Google has introduced an AI-powered feature that expands its search summaries at the top of results pages for some searches. This change pushes the list of links further down on the page, requiring users to scroll more to access them.

The AI Overviews can now dynamically expand for certain topics where Google's systems determine it's most useful for people, according to a statement from Jennifer Kutz, a Google spokesperson. The company claims that this dynamic experience helps users find Search more helpful and engage in deeper exploration.

It's unclear what specific criteria Google uses to decide when to auto-expand the AI Overviews. However, test searches by Jay Peters, a senior reporter at The Verge, suggest that it can be triggered by queries related to gaming, such as 'what is the best game on switch 2'. But even this query hasn't been consistent across searches and browsers.