Google’s Search AI, Internet Savior or Silent Killer?

Google has a shiny new toy in Search called AI Overviews. It’s a box at the top of your search results that gives you an instant, AI-generated summary of what you’re looking for, pulled from different websites without you having to click anywhere else. Sounds convenient, right? Like having a friend who whispers the answer to the test in your ear. Except in this case, your “friend” might be making the actual test creators very, very broke. It’s like eating at a buffet, but instead of paying, you let the chef describe the food to you and then leave.

At first glance, this sounds like typical Silicon Valley marketing: “We’ve made the internet better for everyone!” Translation: We’ve made it better for us. Google claims more people are searching, asking better questions, and clicking on “higher-quality” links (their words). But here’s why it’s worth your attention: if Google keeps giving full answers right in Search, a lot of the smaller websites that create that information could lose visitors, ad revenue, and maybe even shut down. Imagine you run a lemonade stand, but someone sets up a free lemonade sample table right in front of it. Your lemonade is still great, but nobody makes it to your counter. That’s the internet right now.

This isn’t just about being “helpful.” This is about Google building a giant information fortress so you never need to leave. They’ve seen the competition, Perplexity AI, Bing, and ChatGPT already giving direct answers without showing a bunch of links. Google’s thinking, “Why let them steal our lunch when we can eat everyone’s lunch ourselves?” They want you to stay in their sandbox forever. Sure, you’ll get your answer, but it’ll come with a friendly reminder to click on an ad or two.

If you’re a CEO or founder, fewer people might visit your website, which means fewer leads and less revenue. That’s not just a dip, it’s like watching your favorite coffee shop suddenly get replaced by a Starbucks inside your living room. You should be asking, “Will my company’s content even get noticed in this AI carnival?”

If you’re a VP or manager, your marketing team’s SEO playbook might be headed for the recycling bin. The rules of the game just changed, and the ref is also the opposing team. And if you’re an employee or freelancer in content, journalism, or marketing, it could mean fewer people ever see your work. Imagine spending hours writing a masterpiece, only for AI to turn it into a one-line blurb. You might want to ask, “How do I make my work too good for AI to oversimplify?”

If you’re just the average everyday American, this is still your problem. Less traffic for small sites means fewer unique voices online. Pretty soon, your search results might feel like asking one overconfident guy at a party for every opinion. Sure, he’s quick with an answer, but he’s also wearing sunglasses indoors.

Google says AI Overviews is a gift. Many website owners say it’s a Trojan horse. The truth might be somewhere in between. Do you think this is a turning point for how we find and consume information?

- Matt Masinga