Google continues to revolutionize its search engine through the incorporation of AI Overviews, summaries generated by artificial intelligence that offer instantaneous responses in the results. However, its deployment in Europe does not advance at the same pace in all countries. A recent study by Semrush – Specialized Platform in Online Visibility Management and Content Marketing – reveals important regional differences in the adoption of this technology. Spain, together with Portugal and Belgium, stands out as one of the most receptive markets, consolidating itself as a pioneering territory in the implementation of these new formats. On the contrary, countries such as Germany and Switzerland have a slower adoption, motivated by a combination of technological caution and possible regulatory restrictions.
The most recent data in the study show that in countries such as Portugal and Belgium, AI Overviews already appear in more than 17% of searches made from desktop computers. In the case of Spain, the percentage is between 14% and 16%, confirming its Early Adopter status in the European context.
On the other hand, Germany continues far behind, with a quota of less than 1%, which positions it as one of the most reluctant nations to the integration of this functionality. The report, which includes a graph with the daily evolution of these figures in the search results (SERP), points out that Portugal has reached 17.5%peaks, followed closely by Belgium with 16.8%. Ireland and Switzerland, although they show advances, maintain more discrete fees, ranging between 10% and 13%.
The trend points to a clear transition towards direct response systems promoted by artificial intelligence, especially in the field of informative searches.
-This is noted by Fernando Angulo, Senior Marketer Research of Semrush, who underlines that this transformation implies deeply rethinking the production and distribution strategies of digital content. For the media, experts in SEO and regulators, the emergence of the AI Overviews redefines the rules of the game, altering the ecosystem in which information is generated and consumed.
The analysis also shows the type of consultations that are most frequently activating these summaries generated by AI. According to Semrush, 88.1% of searches that activate AI Overviews have an informative nature, which demonstrates the impact of this tool on access to general and specialized knowledge. Even searches related to brands or direct navigation are beginning to be affected, with 1.43% activation – a figure that practically doubles the levels recorded in January.
The sectors most influenced by this technological evolution are those that historically have required precise and reliable information. The science category leads with an increase of 22.27% in the appearance of AI Overviews, followed by health with 20.33%, company with 18.83% and public administration and law with 15.18%. These data reveal a paradigm shift in access to information, especially in areas that demand a high level of rigor.
Given this accelerated transformation of Google’s search engine, new questions arise about its future impact. How will this innovation influence the traffic of the websites of media and blogs? What consequences will it have on traditional monetization models through digital advertising? And how will European regulators respond to a system that further centralizes control over informative visibility? According to Angulo, the rhythm and magnitude of this change force both marketing professionals and regulatory editors and authorities to remain vigilant. The balance between visibility, authority and digital sovereignty is at stake, and its redefinition could have deep implications for the entire European informative ecosystem.
