Google updates AI Overviews with Gemini 3 and conversational search

Google announced on Tuesday that it is rolling out the ability for users to ask follow-up questions directly from AI Overviews, which are AI-generated summaries at the top of search results. This update allows users to transition directly from these summaries into a conversational back-and-forth with AI Mode, Google’s conversational search feature. Alongside this feature, the company is making Gemini 3 the new default model for AI Overviews globally.

The shift represents a transition in how the company structures its search engine, moving from static results toward an interactive interface. According to Google, testing shows that users prefer an experience that flows naturally into a conversation, and that asking follow-up questions while preserving context from AI Overviews makes search more helpful. Robby Stein, VP of Product, Google Search, explained the rationale behind the update: “People come to Search for an incredibly wide range of questions — sometimes to find information quickly, like a sports score or the weather, where a simple result is all you need. But for complex questions or tasks where you need to explore a topic deeply, you should be able to seamlessly tap into a powerful conversational AI experience.”

The update follows recent integrations of “Personal Intelligence” across the Google ecosystem. Earlier this month, Google introduced Personal Intelligence to allow its AI assistant to tailor responses by connecting across services such as Gmail and Google Photos. A few days prior to Tuesday’s announcement, Google also brought Personal Intelligence to AI Mode, enabling the conversational search feature to access Gmail and Google Photos to deliver more individualized responses. Additionally, Google recently integrated AI Overviews into Gmail, allowing users to search their inboxes using natural language rather than traditional keyword searches to find specific information.

Why it matters

Tuesday’s announcements mark Google’s ongoing efforts to make Search less of a static search results experience and more of an interactive, AI-driven experience.