AI Overview Analysis & Study of 118M Searches: May 2025

AI Overviews are reshaping the search results page—and the race for visibility is on.

To help you stay ahead, we’re delivering a monthly AIO analysis of over 100 million real keywords to uncover how and where AI Overviews are showing up, which industries are seeing the most significant impact, and how it’s changing month to month.

From device-specific trends to fast-moving shifts across healthcare, education, and tech industries, this data reveals where AI is expanding next—and what it means for your SEO strategy.

Let’s dive into the data shaping the future of search.

AIO study methodology

To complete this AI Overview analysis, our search experts analyzed 118M keywords from real queries actively tracked using Conductor Intelligence.

To provide additional insights, the keywords are categorized by the industry they best align with. Here’s what we found.

Key takeaways & stats

• Overall: 14% of the 118 million keywords analyzed in May 2025 generated an AI Overview
  • This is a 65% MoM increase in the total number of keywords generating an AIO from our analysis in April 2025 (10M to 16.5M out of 118M total)
• Device distribution: Desktop reclaimed the lead with 60% of AI Overviews occurring on a desktop device
  • Smartphone AIO presence dropped from 53% in April 2025 to 38% in May 2025, signaling that Google may be scaling back AIO presence on mobile devices
• Industry breakdown: The following industries had the highest percentage of keywords triggering AI Overviews in May 2025:
  • Biotechnology - 35%
  • Life Sciences Tools & Services - 33%
  • Education Services - 31%
  • IT Services - 30%
  • Communications Equipment - 27%

How common are AI Overviews?

Of the 118M keywords analyzed, 14%—over 16.5M—generate AI Overviews,

This is a 65% MoM increase in the total number of keywords generating an AIO from our analysis in April 2025 (10M in April to 16.5M in May out of 118M total). This expansion reflects the largest MoM increase since we began measuring AIO result type presence in November 2024.

Most searches generating AIOs are informational, conversational, long-tail, or mixed intent.

As AIO expands to even more keywords, monitoring and tracking your presence within this result type is critical to see if the keywords and topics most important to you are generating an AIO and if your brand or site is being cited as the source.

AIO device distribution: Mobile vs. desktop

In May, we saw a significant device distribution shakeup. Desktop devices now account for 60% of AI Overviews, an increase of 13% from April.

Mobile (AKA smartphones) had been leading in previous months with a significantly higher percentage of AI Overviews than desktops, but that appeared to level out in April, with just over half (53%) of AIO occurrences on smartphones and continued into May with smartphone devices accounting for only 40% of AI Overview results.

It’s clear Google scaled back AIO presence on mobile devices during the March Core update and continues to do so. This shift could indicate that Google is focused on refining AIO UX, testing engagement levels on devices, or adjusting the AI’s role in mobile search.

Given that smartphone screens prioritize above-the-fold content, a strong AIO presence there inherently dominates the visual space. A reduction in this presence might signal a move to reintroduce more traditional organic results into immediate view on mobile to maintain engagement and ad revenue.

The consistent appearance of AI Overviews within People Also Ask results, Buying Guides, and other SERP features across devices highlights Google's ongoing integration of AI-generated content beyond just the top snippet.

The increased AIO presence on desktop devices could also indicate a move to provide more immediate, AI-driven answers for the potentially more complex or research-oriented queries that often originate from desktop searches.

Tracking how this evolves will be crucial for understanding long-term SEO and content strategies and visibility in evolving SERP features.

AIO impact by industry

The following table highlights the top 20 industries with the highest percentage of tracked keywords triggering AI Overviews in May 2025. This means these industries see AIO appear for a larger share of the queries, making them more directly impacted.

If you see your industry on this list, take steps now to ensure your content and site are optimized for AI search to increase the likelihood of becoming the go-to source for AI Overview results moving forward.

Industries with the highest percentage of AI Overviews in May 2025

Month-over-month industry AIO comparison: May vs. April vs. March 2025

To benchmark how the AIO landscape is changing, here’s a look at the month-over-month changes of those top industries from March, April, and May 2025.

*Note: Every month AIO results are appearing in new places and for new industries. Those listed as N/A above were either not top industries in previous months or not tracked prior but have since been added as we expand the number of industries being analyzed.

Takeaways:

The following four industries have had the most significant AI Overview growth from March to May 2025.

• Communications Equipment: Showed the largest increase in AI Overview presence with a 22-point gain
• IT Services: Continues to show steady growth in AI Overview results generated with a 13-point increase
• Healthcare Equipment & Supplies: Another industry showing a large share of AI Overviews (11-point increase), which tracks as users are likely looking for quick health product information
• Banking: Similar to healthcare-related fields, banking queries are often informational, which is why we’re seeing an 11-point increase for this industry

Overall:

AI Overviews show strong traction in Healthcare, IT, and Banking industries, reinforcing AI’s role in answering informational queries.

The emergence of Biotechnology and Life Sciences Tools & Services industries with high initial AI Overview percentages indicates a significant shift in how Google presents information from these complex domains. Businesses in these sectors should focus on structuring content to align with AI-driven search experiences, ensuring visibility in key SERP features.

While many industries are seeing growth, a few are experiencing minor decreases, suggesting potential recalibration or stabilization of AIO presence in those areas. The search results page remains highly dynamic. The significant number of new industries generating AI Overviews and the varying degrees of change highlight the ongoing evolution of AIO integration across different industry verticals.

Global presence of AI Overviews

The majority of AI Overviews appear in the U.S. with 88% of all AIO results coming from Google U.S.

Countries with the next highest number of AI Overviews present on SERPs are the U.K., Canada, Australia, and India.

We expect AI Overviews to continue to expand internationally as they are released and ramped up in more countries. Keep an eye on this section in our monthly analyses to see how the global presence of AIO adapts.

How to adapt and optimize for AI Overviews: Helpful resources

Explore our latest insights, strategies, guides, and workflows to stay ahead in the evolving AI-powered search landscape.

• An In-Depth Look at AI Overviews - Start here for a comprehensive overview of Google’s AI Overviews, including how it works, how AIO optimization differs from traditional optimization, FAQs, and more.
• Conductor.com Case Study: How AI Overviews Are Impacting Organic Traffic - Real-world insights into traffic shifts and how brands are adapting, using our website as a case study.
• How to Rank in AI Overviews & Optimize for AI Search - Actionable strategies (and related Conductor workflows) to increase visibility within AI-powered search.
• 2025 AI Search, SEO, & Content Trends Guide - Forward-looking insights from industry insiders to inform your SEO and content strategies for the year ahead.
• The 2025 State of SEO Report - Benchmark your performance with exclusive survey data and trends shaping SEO and content marketing.
• Google Search Central Live NYC 2025 Recap - Key takeaways from Google’s March 2025 event, including what’s ahead for AI search and user engagement trends.

Check back next month or subscribe to Dispatch, Conductor’s monthly SEO newsletter, for the latest iteration of our monthly AIO analysis.