Google set to launch AI Overviews in India, expand services in 6 new countries

Google is set to expand its AI Overviews feature in Search to six new countries, including India, over the coming weeks. Initially launched in May in the United States, AI Overviews are designed to help users quickly find information on the web by summarizing content with the aid of artificial intelligence.

After receiving positive feedback from its early adopters, Google is now extending this feature to India, the United Kingdom, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil, each with local language support.

In India, the AI Overviews will be available in both English and Hindi. Google is also introducing popular India-specific features that were well-received during its Search Labs experiment.

Among these is a language toggle button that allows users to easily switch between English and Hindi search results. Another feature enables users to listen to responses using Text-To-Speech by tapping a ‘Listen’ button, making the search experience more accessible.

According to Hema Budaraju, Senior Director of Product Management at Google Search, the launch in the United States showed that users who engaged with AI Overviews were more likely to use Search regularly and were more satisfied with the results.

Users looking for help with complex topics found AI Overviews particularly useful, as they allowed for deeper dives into subjects and new perspectives. This has provided more opportunities for content discovery from various publishers, businesses, and creators.

India’s experience with Google’s AI features has been notably positive. Users in India, who were part of the initial global testing in Search Labs, appreciated features like the bilingual toggle and the Text-To-Speech capability, which were specifically tailored to the needs of the Indian market.

As a result, Indian users were found to use the AI Overviews’ listening feature more frequently than those in other countries.

Google’s gradual rollout of AI Overviews will continue over the next several weeks. The company has also announced that it is introducing new ways to interact with search results. For example, on desktop, relevant website links will now be displayed on the right-hand side of the AI Overviews.

On mobile, these links can be accessed by tapping the site icons in the upper right corner. This update, which is part of a broader global rollout, aims to make it easier for users to explore relevant content.

Additionally, Google is testing the inclusion of links to relevant web pages directly within the AI Overview text, providing users with even more straightforward access to the websites that interest them. This feature is expected to enhance the user experience by seamlessly integrating AI-generated summaries with the broader web.

As Google continues to refine and expand its AI capabilities, these updates reflect the company’s commitment to making search more intuitive, accessible, and useful for users around the world, with a particular focus on localizing the experience to meet the specific needs of each market.