Google AI Search Hits 1.5 Billion Monthly Users, Expands Circle to Search Globally
Google’s bold push into artificial intelligence continues to reshape how people search online. The tech giant announced during its Q1 2025 earnings call that AI Overviews, its AI-generated summary feature in search results, is now used by more than 1.5 billion people every month across over 100 countries.
AI Overviews, introduced two years ago, offers quick AI-generated answers to common queries by pulling information from across the web. For example, searching “What is generative AI?” brings up an AI-written summary directly at the top of your search page. While some publishers have voiced concerns about reduced web traffic, Google is betting big on this AI-driven model to increase user engagement and advertising revenue.
In a continued effort to dominate the AI search space, Google has also launched AI Mode, a chat-like feature that enables complex queries and follow-ups within Search. This aims to compete directly with conversational search tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Another standout product, Circle to Search, is quickly gaining traction. This feature allows smartphone users to circle items on their screen and instantly search for them. Google reported that it now runs on over 250 million devices, a jump from 200 million just a few months ago. Usage surged nearly 40% quarter-over-quarter, reflecting growing consumer adoption.
Visual search is also booming. Google CEO Sundar Pichai revealed that searches via Google Lens — its multimodal AI-powered tool — have grown by 5 billion queries since October. Shopping through Lens rose over 10% in Q1, indicating its growing importance in e-commerce behavior.
Despite this AI-driven momentum, Google remains under the microscope. U.S. regulators are scrutinizing its business practices, with the Justice Department pressuring the company to spin off Chrome after findings of an illegal monopoly in online search. A separate ruling also determined Google has an adtech monopoly, potentially opening the door to a corporate breakup.
Still, Google appears undeterred. With AI Overviews becoming more entrenched in global search behavior and new tools enhancing user interactivity, the company is rapidly redefining the future of search.
