Google AI Search is quietly transforming the way people search online—and the numbers prove it. As of April 2025, more than 1.5 billion people each month are using AI-powered summaries through Google’s AI Overviews, with support across over 100 countries.

Initially launched in experimental form two years ago, Google AI Search now compiles and displays AI-generated answers right at the top of search results. Whether you’re searching for “What is generative AI?” or planning a weekend getaway, chances are, your first answer comes from Google’s AI, not a traditional website.

Despite concerns from publishers about reduced traffic, Google is positioning this AI-first approach as a key growth engine.

Monetizing the AI Search Experience

Google isn’t just tweaking how search results look—it’s reshaping how it makes money from them. Last October, the company rolled out ads directly inside AI Overviews. And now, it’s testing AI Mode, a more conversational search interface that allows for follow-up questions, putting Google in direct competition with chat-first engines like ChatGPT Search and Perplexity.

This is Google doubling down on Google AI Search, ensuring it becomes not just more useful but also more profitable.

AI Search Beyond the Browser

Google’s AI ambitions don’t stop at the classic search bar. The company reported a massive boost in Circle to Search, the feature that lets users circle anything on their smartphone screen to get instant, AI-generated answers.

Currently available on more than 250 million devices, Circle to Search saw a 40% quarter-over-quarter usage spike, according to Google’s latest Q1 2025 earnings call.

In parallel, Google Lens—its AI-driven visual search tool—is growing fast, too. CEO Sundar Pichai said that since October, there have been 5 billion more visual searches via Lens. The number of shoppers using Lens also jumped more than 10% in Q1 alone.

Big Growth, Bigger Scrutiny

While Google AI Search grows at record speed, the company’s aggressive move into AI has caught the attention of U.S. regulators. The Department of Justice has accused Google of monopolizing online search, and a federal judge recently ruled that Google holds an illegal monopoly in adtech—raising the specter of a possible corporate breakup.

Still, Google seems undeterred. It continues to expand AI tools and search features aggressively, betting that the convenience and power of AI will win over users and keep them coming back.

Google AI Search is no longer just a futuristic concept—it’s a daily reality for over a billion users. Whether you’re circling an image, using voice search, or browsing through Lens, AI is becoming the default interface for how we interact with Google.

With new monetization strategies and growing global adoption, Google is proving that the future of search isn’t just text-based—it’s intelligent, multimodal, and deeply integrated into our digital lives.

But with antitrust lawsuits looming, the question now isn’t just how far Google will go, but how long regulators will let it lead the AI search race unchallenged.

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