Google Adds Follow-Up Questions to AI Overviews

Google announced on Tuesday that it is expanding the way people interact with its search results. The company added the ability for users to ask follow-up questions directly from AI Overviews, the AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of Google Search pages. At the same time, Google said it is making Gemini 3 the default model for AI Overviews globally.

Context

AI Overviews are a new feature that Google has been testing for several months. They appear as a concise, AI-written summary of the answer to a user’s query, positioned above the traditional list of links. The goal is to give users a quick, accurate response without having to click through multiple pages.

In the same week, Google rolled out Personal Intelligence to AI Mode, allowing the AI assistant to draw on a user’s Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube history. Personal Intelligence debuted earlier this month in the Gemini app, where it tailors responses by connecting across the Google ecosystem.

Google has also introduced AI Overviews to Gmail. The feature lets users search their inbox using natural language to get instant answers, bypassing the need to sift through emails manually. The announcement coincided with the launch of a new AI Inbox.

Features

Follow-Up Questions

• Users can type a follow-up question directly beneath an AI Overview.
• The AI maintains context from the initial answer, creating a seamless conversational flow.
• Links appear that let users jump from a quick snapshot to a deeper conversation if needed.

Gemini 3 Default Model

• Gemini 3 replaces the previous AI model as the default for AI Overviews.
• The company claims the new model delivers a “best-in-class AI response” on the results page.

Conversational Flow

• The experience is designed to feel like a single, continuous conversation.
• Users can move from a concise answer to a more detailed dialogue without leaving the results page.

Personal Intelligence Integration

• The new AI Overviews can tap into Gmail, Photos, Search, and YouTube history.
• This integration promises more personalized answers based on a user’s past activity.

Impact

Google said its testing shows that users prefer an experience that flows naturally into a conversation. The ability to ask follow-up questions while preserving context makes Search more helpful for complex queries. The company believes the changes will:

• Reduce the number of clicks needed to find information.
• Encourage deeper exploration of topics without losing the original context.
• Improve overall user satisfaction with the Search experience.

Robby Stein, VP of Product, Google Search, explained in a blog post:

“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.”

Future Outlook

Google’s roadmap suggests that conversational Search will continue to grow, with potential integration into other Google services such as Docs, Calendar, and Maps. The company is also exploring ways to make AI Overviews more dynamic, allowing real-time updates as new information becomes available.

Key Takeaways