The Most Transformative Moment in Google’s History
Liz Reid worked at Google for twenty years and she’s seen it all, from the first smartphones to smart speakers, but now she’s in charge while Google Search gets a full-on AI makeover.
“AI in search has been an evolution. BERT, then MUM — early on that was behind the scenes for ranking. With AI Overviews, the role of AI became visible to users. We gained more conviction about how to bring them together. And honestly, we’re still at the beginning.”
– Elizabeth “Liz” Reid, Head of Google Search
Basically, Google’s not just “upgrading search.” They’re changing how billions of people learn, discover, and kill time looking up whether raccoons can open doors. (They can, by the way. It’s horrifying.)
If you want to see how Google’s constant tinkering plays out on your own site, check out How to Clean Up Your Portfolio Categories Before Google Thinks You’re a Mess.
The Competitive Landscape
ChatGPT’s Wake-Up Call
So, back in 2022 when ChatGPT showed up, it was like someone pulled the fire alarm at Google HQ. Suddenly, these AI chatbots were answering questions faster than you could say “Did you mean…?”
But instead of panicking, Google decided to floor it.
Google’s AI Timeline:
- Pre-2018: BERT already running behind the curtain
- 2022: ChatGPT moment, the “oh crap” phase
- 2023-2024: AI Overviews start rolling out
- 2025: Search evolves and Gemini chatbot joins the fight
“We’ve used AI in search for years. Early transformers like BERT and then MUM improved ranking behind the scenes. AI Overviews made it feature-level visible.”
– Liz Reid
So yeah, turns out Google was already using AI before AI was cool. It’s like when your dad says, “I liked vinyl before it was trendy.”
AI Mode and India
“We rolled out AI Mode in the U.S. in May and in India in late June. India is our biggest market for Lens and voice. We’re shrinking the gap between U.S. and India launches to weeks, not months. Search Live is coming to India soon.”
– Liz Reid
India isn’t just a rollout market; it’s a proving ground where users push the limits and Google ships faster.
And if you’re wondering how to adjust your keyword game for this new AI-first world, you’ll want to read Local Keyword Research and Content Creation next.
People Still Want People
The Human Element
Now, a lot of Google’s competition thinks we just want robots talking to robots. Liz Reed’s not buying it.
“The story of the blue link is far from over. People want to hear directly from other people. AI can make quick questions easier, but for decisions that matter, they want depth, perspective, and the creator’s own voice.”
– Liz Reid
So Google’s basically trying to play matchmaker between AI brains and human voices.
“AI Mode is early, but between India and the U.S., we’re already seeing 100 million monthly active users.”
– Liz Reid
The Hybrid Approach:
- ✅ AI handles the quick stuff
- ✅ Still links you to human creators
- ✅ Keeps track of context like a smart friend
- ✅ Helps you find real people with real expertise
“One thing people like about AI Overviews is the combo — the AI response and the web links. We’re also experimenting with inline links like ‘according to [source]’ that take you straight to the creator.”
– Liz Reid
It’s like if Wikipedia, TikTok, and your know-it-all cousin all worked together without the arguing.
That same “humans first” logic also shows up when you dig into What Is Search Intent And Why It Matters When Someone’s Toilet Is Overflowing, yes, it’s funny, but it nails how people really search.
Is AI Killing the Golden Goose?
The Surprising Truth About Clicks and Revenue
Now, the big money question: if Google’s giving people answers right in search, won’t fewer folks click on ads? You’d think so. But Reed says no, because more people are searching than ever.
| Metric | Impact | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Ad clicks per query | Slight dip | Some fewer clicks |
| Total queries | Big jump | People search more |
| Overall ad revenue | Stable or rising | It all balances out |
“When AI Overviews show up, ads can sit lower. But overall, people issue more queries. At the highest level, those effects roughly balance out.”
– Liz Reid
Makes sense. When it’s easier to search, people just do it more. Kind of like how once grocery delivery got easy, we all started buying pickles at 2 a.m.
The Google Lens Example
Remember when you’d see a cool bag or outfit and couldn’t describe it? You’d type “brown purse” and get 10,000 results that all looked wrong. Now, you just snap a photo with Google Lens, and boom, you’re searching like a fashion detective. Same idea with AI Overviews: less hassle means more searching.
If numbers are your love language, AARRR Metrics breaks down exactly how user behavior ties back to growth and revenue — pirate acronyms included.
The Publisher Problem
The Hard Truth About Traffic
Some websites are crying foul, claiming traffic’s dropped 45% since AI Overviews hit the scene. Reed doesn’t deny it’s messy but says it’s not just AI’s fault.
Factors Affecting Publisher Traffic:
- AI Overviews – Sure, that plays a part
- Algorithm updates – Always a reshuffle
- User behavior shifts – People’s habits change
- Generational preferences – Younger users click different stuff
Where Users Are Actually Going
“We’re seeing more demand for forums, user-generated content, and short-form video. As that rises, we integrate more of it into search.”
– Liz Reid
So yeah, people are heading where the action is.
The New Content Hierarchy:
- 📹 Short-form video (TikTok, YouTube Shorts)
- 🎙️ Podcasts (long, rambly, but we love them)
- 💬 Forums and user content
- 📰 Traditional articles (fighting for attention)
Face it, if you’re not adapting to where the eyeballs are going, you’re yelling into the void.
For the folks running local sites, Local Agency Marketing Strategy: Stop Chasing Every City and Start Owning Your County explains how to handle traffic swings without losing your mind (or your rankings).
Dead Internet Theory
The AI Slop Problem
Ever heard of “Dead Internet Theory”? Basically, it’s the belief that most of what you see online is AI junk pretending to be human. Reed hadn’t heard the name but knows the problem.
“AI-generated doesn’t automatically mean spam. But if it’s thin, shallow, or just repeating what’s everywhere else, we don’t want to surface it. We’re upweighting unique perspective, expertise, and depth.”
– Liz Reid
So Google’s trying to filter the digital garbage pile.
Google is Upweighting:
- ✅ Human stories and perspective
- ✅ Real expertise
- ✅ Deep, detailed info
- ✅ Trusted creators
Google is Downweighting:
- ❌ Lazy AI filler
- ❌ “Everyone already said this” posts
- ❌ Thin content that wastes your time
- ❌ Pages people bounce off in two seconds
Basically, they want more steak, less filler.
If you want to make sure your content doesn’t end up in the “AI slop” pile, take a look at SEO Keyword Placement: The 4 Critical Spots That Actually Matter, short, specific, and human-written still wins.
How Google is Balancing Innovation and Ecosystem Health
I covered how Google actually picks which snippets to show in Context Scoring Adjustments for Answer Passages: How Google Chooses Your Snippets, and it connects directly to these AI Overview tweaks.
Protecting the Web That Feeds AI
“We’re focused on context and personalization — follow-ups within a session and across sessions — so you don’t have to repeat yourself.”
– Liz Reid
Google knows if the web dies, their whole search party’s over. So they’re giving creators some new toys.
| Feature | Purpose | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Inline links | “According to [Source]” in AI Overviews | Keeps your brand visible |
| Personal features | Let users choose trusted sources | Builds loyalty |
| Top stories customization | Prioritize subscribers | Helps paid outlets |
| Video integration | Pulls in video content | Matches what users actually watch |
Local businesses trying to ride this same wave should bookmark The Complete Guide to Local SEO Services: Problems, Solutions, and the Language That Sells, it’s the human side of this AI story.
The “Disrupt Yourself” Strategy
Instead of picking between “old search” and “new AI,” Google’s doing both.
- Search Evolution: smarter results, AI summaries, memory of context
- Gemini Chatbot: goes toe-to-toe with ChatGPT
It’s like remodeling your house while building a new one next door, a bit chaotic, but smart long-term.
Agentic Search Without Losing Control
“Agentic features should remove grunt work without taking away user control. Automate the form-filling, sure, but let the user click ‘Yes’ on the transaction.”
– Liz Reid
Translation: do the heavy lifting, leave the final say.
The Antitrust Paradox
When Being a Monopoly Meets AI Disruption
So a federal judge called Google a monopoly (shocker), but AI might’ve actually saved their bacon.
Generative AI, the judge said, changed the whole game, new players, new battleground.
“Users are expressing more constraints — two to three times longer queries — because it finally feels worth the effort. When the bar to ask drops, people ask more and go deeper.”
– Liz Reid
Translation: The pie’s getting bigger, and everyone’s grabbing a slice.
Curious how AI itself measures what matters? How to Get the Robots to Notice You: 6 AI Metrics Every Brand Should Track (Plus Why CTR Still Pays the Bills) dives into the machine logic behind Google’s next moves.
Are We Losing Our Research Skills?
If you like the nerdy side of this stuff, Step-by-Step: How To Implement Entity SEO and Two Ways To Think About Entity SEO explain how Google actually understands “things,” not just words.
From Card Catalogs to AI Tutors
Reed’s been asked whether AI’s making us dumber. Her take? Every generation says that about new tech.
“Some version of your question could be asked about the internet instead of books…”
– Liz Reid
Her point: AI doesn’t make you lazy, it helps you dig deeper into what actually matters to you.
The Personal Example
“I have a child with special needs… it’s like having somebody help you learn something. It doesn’t replace the need to learn, but it’s kind of nice to have a tutor to help you on tough topics.”
– Liz Reid
That’s about as real as it gets. It’s not about outsourcing your brain, it’s about making the hard stuff less overwhelming.
How AI Enables Discovery
From Vanilla Keywords to Specific Needs
Back in the day, you typed “wedding dress” and got the same big brands. Now? You can tell Google you want a red, short dress from a local designer who donates to charity, and it’ll find one.
| Search Era | Query | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | “dress for wedding” | Generic stuff |
| AI-Enhanced | “dress for wedding that is made by a merchant with [specific values] and is also red and short in [specific style]” | Exactly what you meant |
“What AI unlocks is that ability for you to express what you really care about…”
– Liz Reid
In short: the internet’s getting personal again. Less “top 10 lists,” more “this is exactly my vibe.”
And if you’re tired of overthinking all this, I’ve got a sanity-saver called Analysis Paralysis in Digital Marketing (When Thinking Too Much Costs You Money). It’ll help you keep moving while the algorithms dance.
Key Takeaways
What This Means for Users
- You’ll ask way more questions
- You’ll get faster, smarter answers
- You’ll find creators who get you
- You can pick between a summary or a deep dive
What This Means for Creators
- Depth and voice beat generic fluff
- Clickbait’s going out of style
- Long-form and expertise are in
- New ways to reach real audiences
What This Means for the Web
- Not a zero-sum game anymore
- Humans still matter (thank goodness)
- AI’s the assistant, not the boss
- The war on junk content is just starting
The Bottom Line
Google’s not burning down the old search engine, they’re rebuilding it with power tools. Liz Reed’s goal is pretty simple: make AI help us find things faster, trust what we see, and still hear from actual people.
Because at the end of the day, nobody wants an internet full of bots giving each other fashion advice.
Interview conducted on the Corner Office Conversation podcast with Liz Reid, Head of Google Search
What I Learned From All This
After digging through Google’s AI overhaul, here’s what really hit me: this isn’t the story of a company chasing shiny tech. It’s the story of a company trying not to trip over its own success while the whole internet shifts under its feet.
What I learned is that AI isn’t the enemy of search, laziness is. The folks who keep creating, experimenting, and writing stuff that actually helps people? They’ll be fine. The ones pumping out filler and praying for clicks? Not so much.
I also learned that Google’s trying to walk a tightrope between “smart machine” and “human connection.” And that’s not just corporate fluff, it’s real. People still want to read things written by people. I mean, you don’t go to a barbecue and ask ChatGPT how to grill ribs. You ask your buddy Dave, because Dave actually burned a few first.
So yeah, I came away with more respect for what Google’s juggling, and a reminder for the rest of us: AI can make you faster, but it can’t make you authentic. That’s still on us.
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