Can AI Overviews Appear Below the First Position in Google Search?

Google’s AI Overviews are often assumed to appear at the very top of search engine results pages (SERPs), but that’s not always the case. While these AI-generated summaries typically dominate the top spot, new data shows that AI Overviews can and do appear in lower positions - sometimes as low as position six.

At Theia Media, we’ve been closely monitoring how AI-driven search is evolving, and this shift has important implications for visibility, click-through rates, and how businesses think about ranking in the AI era.

How Often Are AI Overviews NOT in Position One?

In a study analyzing 10 million SERPs across 10 countries, researchers found that:

• 91.36% of AI Overviews appeared in position 1.
• 8.64% appeared below position 1 - some as low as position 6.

This means that while the majority of AI Overviews still sit atop search results, nearly 1 in 11 are being placed lower in the rankings.

These figures challenge the assumption that AI Overviews are always the first thing users see and open up opportunities for traditional organic results to regain some screen real estate—even when AI summaries are present.

Examples of AI Overviews Below the Top Spot

In practice, we’ve seen queries where the AI Overview box appears after a featured snippet, shopping carousel, or a block of paid ads. This could push the Overview down to position 2 or 3 on the SERP.

For example, when searching for a product-related query like “best noise-canceling earbuds,” the first position might go to a sponsored product carousel, followed by an AI Overview summary in the second or third position. These variations depend on the query intent and the SERP layout.

While we don’t have visuals here, it’s easy to imagine the real estate being shuffled depending on whether the user is looking to buy, learn, or compare.

Geographic Variations in AI Overview Placement

The study also noted slight differences by country. While most regions still had the majority of AI Overviews in the first position, countries like Japan and Spain showed a higher percentage of Overviews being placed lower.

This suggests that Google’s algorithm might evaluate the usefulness of an AI Overview based on local query behavior, language complexity, or even content density available in that market.

Why This Matters for Marketers and SEOs

This subtle shift matters more than it seems. If AI Overviews are not guaranteed the top spot, then SEO strategies focused on organic ranking still matter - a lot.

It’s easy to assume that AI summaries will cannibalize all clicks at the top of the SERP. But if AI Overviews are occasionally ranked below paid ads, featured snippets, or top-ranking traditional results, it gives SEO professionals a reason to double down on:

• Earning position 1 through high-value content
• Targeting long-tail queries that trigger mixed SERP layouts
• Creating content that complements rather than competes with AI Overviews

We’ve seen cases where clients who focus on well-structured, expert-driven content still outrank AI Overviews in visibility and CTR, especially when the Overview is vague or general.

Is Google Testing AI Overview Quality?

There’s speculation that Google is ranking AI Overviews based on quality - perhaps using internal scoring to determine whether the AI-generated response is strong enough to deserve position 1. While we don’t have confirmation, this theory would align with Google’s emphasis on helpful, accurate content.

If the AI Overview is deemed incomplete or too general, it may be placed further down the page in favor of more authoritative results.

This creates an interesting feedback loop: As AI-generated content improves, so may its placement. But until then, search rankings remain more fluid than many assume.

Don’t Count Out Organic SEO

The data tells us that while AI Overviews often appear at the top, they’re not immovable. A solid 8.64% are ranking lower, and that gives marketers and content creators room to work with.

It also reinforces a key takeaway: Google hasn’t abandoned traditional SEO.

In fact, AI Overviews still depend on web content to generate their summaries. The higher the quality and relevance of your content, the more likely it is to either:

• Get cited by the AI Overview itself, or
• Outrank the AI summary on the results page

As always, the best strategy is to focus on creating helpful, accurate, and original content - AI-assisted or not. The rise of AI in search isn’t a reason to panic. It’s a reason to evolve.