Introduction
TL;DR
- Google AI Overviews is moving to a more conversational search flow by adopting Gemini 3 and enabling follow-up questions that bridge into AI Mode.
- Google AI Plus launches at $7.99/month in the U.S. and expands to 35 new countries/territories, bundling Gemini 3 Pro, Flow, NotebookLM, 200GB storage, and family sharing.
- Google Photos introduces prompt-based photo-to-video transformation, but it’s gated by age, account type, backups, and daily limits.
In this post, Google AI Overviews is the anchor: what changed, how the user journey shifts, and what individuals and organizations should do next.
Why it matters: When search becomes “summary -> conversation,” traffic, trust, and governance change together.
What Google AI Overviews is
One-sentence definition
Google AI Overviews is an AI-generated summary at the top of search results that can now encourage iterative follow-up questions and deeper exploration.
What it is not
It’s not simply a list of blue links, and it’s not the same as every feature inside the Gemini app.
Why it matters: Clear scope prevents bad strategy (treating a product shift as “just SEO”).
What’s new: Gemini 3, follow-ups, AI Plus, and Photos
Gemini 3 + follow-up questions in Overviews
Google is strengthening the “overview card -> follow-up question -> deeper answer” experience, tying it into AI Mode.
AI Plus ($7.99) and global expansion
AI Plus expands to 35 new countries/territories (including the U.S.) and is priced at $7.99/month in the U.S. with a limited-time discount mentioned.
Google Photos: describe how to transform a photo into video
Photo-to-video supports text prompts and includes clear eligibility and limit constraints (18+, personal account, backed-up photos, daily limits).
Why it matters: Google is aligning search, subscriptions, and creation into one funnel.
Architecture: how the user journey changes
From “query -> click” to “summary -> iterate -> (maybe) click”
Behavioral research indicates users click external links less often when AI summaries appear (8% vs 15%), and clicks on summary-cited sources are rare (1%).
Why it matters: “Being the best result” matters less than “being the best cited source.”
When to use it - and when not to
Use cases
- Fast overview + iterative narrowing (planning, comparisons)
- Productivity and research workflows via AI Plus (Gemini 3 Pro, Flow, NotebookLM, storage)
- Lightweight creative edits via Photos photo-to-video (within constraints)
Avoid as primary truth
- High-stakes decisions without verifying sources
- Copy/paste without reading originals (mis-summaries happen)
Why it matters: Trust failures cost more than the time you “saved.”
Practical comparison table
AI Plus vs Free (officially stated deltas)
| Item | Free | Google AI Plus |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. price | - | $7.99/month |
| Availability | Varies | Expanded to 35 new countries/territories |
| Tools | Limited | Gemini 3 Pro, Flow, NotebookLM, more access |
| Storage | 15GB baseline | 200GB included |
| Sharing | - | Up to 5 family members |
Why it matters: Subscriptions can accelerate feature adoption inside teams - governance must keep up.
Risks and governance signals
Accuracy and hallucinations
Misleading summaries have been reported, and broader “fabricated citations” remain a known failure mode in AI-generated content.
Regulation momentum (opt-out)
UK CMA proposals explicitly include publisher opt-out from AI Overviews usage and a consultation closing on 2026-02-25.
Why it matters: Product changes are optional; regulatory changes are not.
Troubleshooting
- Follow-up UI missing - rollout/locale differences (test language/browser/device)
- Can’t access AI Plus - eligibility/country/account constraints
- Photos photo-to-video unavailable - 18+/Workspace/backups/daily limit issues
Why it matters: Many “bugs” are actually policy/eligibility gates.
Summary
- Google AI Overviews is shifting search toward “summary -> conversation” with Gemini 3 and follow-ups.
- AI Plus ($7.99 U.S.) lowers the barrier to advanced models/tools and expands globally.
- Photos photo-to-video is powerful but operationally constrained (age/account/backups/limits).
- Expect governance pressure to rise as opt-out and publisher controls become a policy focus.
References
- (AI Mode in Google Search and AI Overviews get Gemini upgrades, 2026-01-27)[https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/search/ai-mode-ai-overviews-updates/]
- (Google AI Plus expands to 35 new countries and territories including the US, 2026-01-27)[https://blog.google/products-and-platforms/products/google-one/google-ai-plus-availability/]
- (Use AI to create with Google Photos, 2026-01-28)[https://support.google.com/photos/answer/16763021]
- (Do people click on links in Google AI summaries?, 2025-07-22)[https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/22/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results/]
- (Google AI Overviews Says It’s Still 2024, 2026-01-28)[https://www.wired.com/story/google-ai-overviews-says-its-still-2024/]
- (UK pushes Google to allow sites to opt out of AI overviews, 2026-01-28)[https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/uk-regulator-proposes-changes-google-search-publishers-2026-01-28/]
- (Google AI Overviews mobile search mode, 2026-01-28)[https://www.businessinsider.com/google-ai-overviews-mobile-search-mode-blurring-line-chatbot-2026-1]
- (Google Photos image-to-video text prompt support, 2026-01-28)[https://www.theverge.com/news/868510/google-photos-image-to-video-text-prompt-support]