Google AI Overviews now showing on more Google Lens results

Google announced it is expanding AI Overviews to show on more Google Lens results, including more novel or unique images. This is still only showing on a subset of searches, but now more than when Google first added AI Overviews to Google Lens in May of 2024.

Plus, Google is also adding to its Chrome app and Google app for iOS a new Lens feature that lets you select and search whatever’s on your screen with just a simple gesture.

AI Overviews and Lens. Google wrote, “now, with help from our advanced AI models, Lens can go much further and provide information on the contents of more novel or unique images. For those kinds of queries, AI Overviews will begin to appear more often in your Lens results, with no need to add a question to your visual search.”

Here is what this looks like – in the example, you see some weird texture on your car and you want Google to tell you about what this might be. Google’s AI Overview says this looks like a carbon vinyl wrap for paint protection.

Lens on Chrome and Google App on iOS. Now when you are on a screen in Chrome or on the Google app, you can ask Google Lens what you are looking at. You can do this by drawing, highlighting or tapping on the screen to get more details.

Here is how this works:

• To get started on iOS in Chrome or the Google app, open the three-dot menu and select “Search Screen with Google Lens” or “Search this Screen” respectively. Then, use whatever gesture comes naturally to select what you want to search. 
• After you make a selection, you’ll see visual matches and other kinds of helpful results.
• You can then tap “Add to your search” to refine by color, brand or another detail, or you can ask follow up questions to dive deeper into a topic.

Here is a GIF of it in action:

Why we care. With the AI Overviews using Lens for a page you are viewing, this may lead to people viewing your website and then using this feature, ultimately resulting in them leaving your site. Or it may take people off your competitor sites and on to yours. It all depends, as you can imagine.

You should be aware of these new Google Search features, because they may end up helping or hurting you in the long run.