Google Is Bringing Back AI-Generated Images in Search for Some Users
TLDR
Google appears to be restoring on-the-fly AI image generation within Search for some searchers after pausing the test last year.
What this Google Search test means for your site
- Status
- Test
- Platform
- Google Search
- Affects
- AI-generated images in Search, AI Overviews
- Who
- some Google Search users
- Effective
- Not specified in the source
- Action needed
- Not specified in the source
Optimixed Overview
Optimixed's original report on this story.
SERoundtable reports that Google seems to be bringing back the ability to generate images on the fly within Google Search. The feature was first announced in July and paused the following month after controversy, and it now appears to be returning for some searchers.
How we got here: earlier Google Search coverage
Google began rolling out AI-generated images in its AI Overviews search feature on August 14. On August 17, it scrapped a test that auto-generated AI images summarizing recipes in Search, and creators had objected that the images bypassed their original photography and content work. Now, Google appears to be restoring on-the-fly AI image generation within Search for some searchers.
Summary of earlier coverage
- Aug 28Google is dynamically expanding AI Overviews to full-screen answers for some queries
Google confirmed it's dynamically expanding AI Overviews to full-screen responses on some queries, eliminating the "Show more" button and pushing organic results further down the page.
- Aug 19Google Expands Generative UI Beyond AI Mode Into AI Overviews
Google is expanding its generative UI capabilities from AI Mode into AI Overviews, enabling custom visual layouts and interactive tools in Google's AI-generated search results.
- Aug 17Google Halts Experiment Generating AI Images for Recipe Results in Search
Google has scrapped a test that auto-generated AI images summarizing recipes in Search, after creators objected that it bypassed their original photography and content work.
- Aug 14Google Begins Rolling Out AI-Generated Images Within AI Overviews
Google has started rolling out AI-generated images in its AI Overviews search feature, expanding beyond text-based summaries.