In a recent LinkedIn exchange, Google’s Senior Search Analyst John Mueller confirmed that core algorithm updates impact the search engine’s AI-powered overviews.
This info gives us a clearer picture of how AI is being woven into Google’s search results.
Responding to a question on LinkedIn, Mueller stated:
“These are a part of search, and core updates affect search, so yes.”
This backs up what folks in the SEO industry have noticed—the sources used in AI overviews seem to change after major algorithm updates.
Background On AI Overviews
Google rolled out AI overviews in US search results a few months back.
These summaries use a special version of Google’s Gemini AI to generate answers at the top of search results. The AI pulls info from different websites and combines it into a short, easy-to-read overview.
The Impact Of Core Updates
Core updates are broad changes to Google’s search algorithms and systems, typically rolled out several times a year.
These updates are intended to improve the quality of search results by reassessing how content is evaluated and ranked.
Google’s most recent core update, launched on August 15, is still rolling out. The company advises waiting until the update is finished before analyzing the impact.
Looking Ahead
As Google keeps integrating AI into search, publishers need more clarity around how core algorithm updates impact these features.
Mueller’s confirmation helps, but there’s still a lot we don’t know. There are still many questions about what makes content show up in AI overviews and whether it’s different from what makes websites rank high in regular search results.
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