Google is rolling out Gemini 3 as the default model behind Google AI Overviews, aiming to deliver faster, more helpful summaries directly on the search results page. At the same time, Google is adding a new way to ask follow-up questions from an AI Overview and move straight into an AI Mode conversation while keeping the original context.
The updates are described as a smoother “single flow” that starts with a quick snapshot and can continue into a longer, back-and-forth chat when people want more detail. Google says testing showed users prefer follow-ups that carry context forward from AI Overviews instead of starting over with a new search.
Gemini 3 becomes the default for AI Overviews
Google AI Overviews are being upgraded so Gemini 3 runs them by default for users globally, according to multiple reports. Engadget reports that when Google introduced its new suite of AI systems in November, Gemini 3 was used in AI Overviews through a routing setup that sent the hardest queries to the more advanced model, but Google is now making Gemini 3 the standard.
TechWyse describes the change as pushing Google’s most advanced reasoning capabilities deeper into the core Search experience and says Gemini 3 now underpins AI Overviews in markets where the feature is available. Droid Life also notes Gemini 3 was launched in November and frames the shift as an upgrade that should lead to faster and more helpful AI answers on the results page.
Follow-up questions now jump into AI Mode
Alongside the model switch, Google is rolling out a direct path that lets users ask follow-up questions right from an AI Overview and continue in AI Mode, with context preserved. Droid Life quotes Google’s blog post saying people prefer an experience that “flows naturally into a conversation,” and that keeping context from AI Overviews makes Search more helpful.
Engadget says the company previously showcased this follow-up feature toward the end of last year and is now moving it into Search as part of the rollout. Engadget also reports that, starting today, mobile users can transition from an AI Overview into an AI Mode conversation.
WebProNews similarly characterizes the change as a bridge from summary to conversation, describing it as a move that prioritizes more fluid AI dialogues inside Search. WebProNews reports the changes were announced on January 27, 2026, and describes the follow-up experience as a seamless transition into AI Mode on mobile devices globally.
What it could mean for sites and search traffic
As Google builds deeper AI interactions directly into Search, some coverage points to possible pressure on publishers and marketers who rely on clicks from search results. TechWyse notes that changes in the model behind AI Overviews can affect which sources get cited, how responses are structured, and how often users click through to external sites.
WebProNews also highlights publisher concerns, arguing that the tighter connection between Overviews and AI Mode could keep users inside Google’s AI experiences for longer. In the same piece, WebProNews presents the update as part of a broader push to make the jump from “quick snapshot” to “deeper conversation” feel natural and continuous.
Rollout timing and user reach: different figures reported
Droid Life says both changes—the Gemini 3 default upgrade and the new follow-up conversation path—are rolling out “today.” TechWyse similarly says the update is beginning to roll out immediately, adding that availability may vary by region.
The sources do not agree on how many people AI Overviews reach. WebProNews claims AI Overviews have 2 billion monthly users, while TechWyse says AI Overviews reach more than one billion users globally.
