The Guardian is inviting readers to share their views on whether Google's growing use of artificial intelligence has improved or worsened its search engine. Google now places AI-generated "AI Overviews" at the top of search results, summarising answers before users reach the traditional list of links, a shift the company describes as its most significant search upgrade ever. This change has altered browsing habits for billions of users and sparked debate over its impact on the wider web, as fewer people click through to the original source websites when an AI summary already answers their query.

The financial stakes are significant: large US media companies are suing Google, alleging that AI Overviews have diverted and reduced traffic to their sites, cutting into advertising revenue that depends on clicks. Google disputes this, saying it has not observed a decline in aggregate traffic and that such claims rely on "flawed methodologies," with search vice-president Liz Reid stating that organic click volume to websites has remained relatively stable year-on-year. The company has signalled that further AI integration into search is planned.