Google AI Overviews Auto-Expand, Burying Organic Results

Google confirmed on August 28 that AI Overviews now dynamically expand to their full length for certain queries. Previously, these overviews appeared as truncated snippets. The change pushes organic results further down the page and increases zero-click visibility for AI-generated answers.

What changed

Google's system now decides which queries deserve a fully expanded AI Overview. When triggered, the overview replaces the old clipped preview with complete generated content.

Impact on organic traffic

Lower-ranking organic results receive less attention. Pages that previously held positions near the fold now sit below expanded AI content. Click-through rates on those positions are likely to decline.

What to do

Strengthen structured data, concise answers, and topical authority. Track impressions and AI Overview appearances separately in Search Console. Consider whether your keywords are vulnerable to full expansion.