Google’s search experience is changing—fast. In just two months, the presence of AI Overviews in search results more than doubled, signaling a major shift from traditional search toward direct, AI-generated answers. For SEOs and content teams, this isn’t just another update—it’s a structural change in how information is delivered and discovered. Using fresh 2025 data from Semrush, this post breaks down where AI Overviews are gaining traction, which industries are most affected, and how search behavior is shifting in real time. If you’re still optimizing for page-one links, it might be time to aim higher: the answer box itself.
AI Overviews Are Rapidly Expanding
- 13.14% of all queries triggered AI Overviews in March 2025, up from 6.49% in January.
- The increase is steep—72% growth in just one month (Feb to Mar).
- AI Overviews are a shift from search engine to “answer engine.”
🧠 Informational Content Is Most Affected
- 88.1% of queries that trigger AI Overviews are informational.
- These are typically long-tail, low-difficulty, fact-based queries like definitions and comparisons.
- Commercial, transactional, and navigational intent are growing too (esp. branded/navigational queries, up 93% since Jan).
📉 Zero-Click Behavior Is Real—But Complex
- Queries with AI Overviews have higher zero-click rates—but not necessarily because of AI Overviews.
- For the same keywords, zero-click rates actually declined slightly (from 38.1% → 36.2%) after AI Overviews were added.
🔬 Industries Most Disrupted
Top verticals seeing growth in AI Overview share:
- Science (+22.27%)
- Health (+20.33%)
- People & Society (+18.83%)
- Law & Government (+15.18%)
Industries like News, Sports, Real Estate, and Shopping are less impacted for now.
🔍 SERP Features Are Layered, Not Replaced
- AI Overviews typically appear alongside other SERP features (like PAA, video, reviews), not replacing them.
- Visual content and structured data formats (videos, tools, FAQs) are more likely to survive in the AI era.
🚨 SEO Implications & Strategic Guidance
- SEO is no longer just about rankings, but inclusion in the AI Overview itself.
- Informational content strategies must evolve—optimize for authority, clarity, and consensus-based answers.
- Consider targeting high-value, low-KD keywords that don’t yet trigger AI Overviews, like:
- “cost to replace roof on mobile home” – CPC: $6.09, KD: 8%
- “best online interior decorating schools” – CPC: $10.45, KD: 27%
🧰 How Semrush Helps
- Keyword tools to find “safe” high-value terms
- Organic Research to track competitor presence in AI Overviews
- Position Tracking to monitor shifts in AI visibility
- AI Toolkit to assess market share and adapt strategy
Bottom Line
AI Overviews are transforming Google from a list of links into a direct answer engine. SEO now means earning a presence in the answer itself, not just ranking on the page. Content must shift toward trustworthy, concise, and authoritative answers to compete. Read the full Semrush study for more information.