Google AI Overviews Now Appear in 39% of Desktop Searches — And Reviews Decide Who Gets Cited
What happened
Google AI Overviews now appear in 39.4% of US desktop searches, up from 25.8% a year ago, according to Comscore's Q2 2026 AI Intelligence Report. That's a 53% increase in just twelve months — and the UK typically follows US rollouts within weeks.
Separately, SOCi's 2026 Local Visibility Index found that AI assistants recommend only 1% to 11% of business locations, compared to 36% visibility in Google's traditional local 3-pack. Getting recommended by AI is up to 30 times harder than ranking in normal local search.
The critical finding: AI systems treat reviews as a filter, not a ranking signal. Businesses recommended by ChatGPT averaged 4.3 stars. Those below 4.0 stars were frequently excluded altogether.
What this means for tradespeople
If you're a plumber, electrician, or builder, nearly four out of ten Google searches now show an AI-generated answer at the top of the page — before the traditional results you've been trying to rank in. And when those AI answers recommend a local business, they heavily favour businesses with recent, high-rated reviews.
This isn't a future prediction. It's happening now. A tradesperson with 40 recent 5-star reviews is more likely to appear in AI Overviews than one with 200 old reviews and a 3.8 average.
TapReview is a £9/month tool that helps UK tradespeople get more Google reviews with one tap — sending automated review requests via WhatsApp and SMS after every job. Consistent, recent reviews are exactly what AI systems look for.
What to do about it
Focus on review velocity over review count. AI Overviews favour businesses with a steady flow of recent reviews, not just a large total. Ask every customer — not just the ones you think will leave 5 stars.
Make sure your Google Business Profile is fully completed — AI Overviews pull from profile data, and gaps count against you.
Source: Search Engine Land / Comscore / SOCi