Photo by Veronica Arias on Pexels

Google’s AI Overviews have become a major player in the search landscape, now reaching a staggering 1.5 billion monthly users, as revealed by CEO Sundar Pichai during Alphabet’s Q1 2025 earnings call. Since its widespread launch last May, the feature has undergone continuous improvements and expansions, addressing initial challenges and incorporating user feedback.

Google has been actively refining AI Overviews through updates, expanded query support, and the strategic integration of advertisements. This positions the feature as a strong competitor against emerging AI-powered search alternatives like ChatGPT Search and Perplexity.

Beyond AI Overviews, Google’s Q1 was marked by several other key AI developments. These include the introduction of the Gemini 2.5 Pro experimental model, an innovative AI-driven podcast creation tool within Gemini’s Deep Research, and a Gemini-powered feature for Google Maps that analyzes screenshots to facilitate trip planning. Furthermore, Google is actively migrating users from its established Assistant to the more advanced Gemini AI on mobile, with future plans to extend this transition across a wider range of devices including tablets, vehicles, and wearable tech.

Hardware updates included the announcement of the Pixel 9A, although its launch was slightly delayed due to component sourcing. Alphabet reported impressive Q1 revenue of $90.2 billion, a 12% increase year-over-year, fueled by strong performances from YouTube and Google One, which now boasts over 270 million subscriptions.

Google continues to navigate a complex regulatory environment, currently undergoing a remedies trial following a ruling establishing its search monopoly. The company also recently lost a separate case concerning its alleged ad tech monopoly.