Google's Gemini Default Escalates AI Search Arms Race

Google is making its Gemini 3 model the default for all AI Overviews, a strategic escalation that moves generative AI from a feature to the core of its search experience. This shift abandons the previous routing system that selectively used the model, signaling confidence in its performance and a commitment to a unified, AI-native user journey. The move solidifies Google’s strategy to make conversational, context-aware AI the new standard for information discovery globally.

This integration puts immediate pressure on specialized AI search rivals like Perplexity and Microsoft’s Bing to innovate beyond their current conversational interfaces. The change also has profound second-order effects, potentially devaluing traditional blue-link results and the SEO industry built upon them. It accelerates a shift in user expectations, where AI-generated summaries become the primary answer, raising critical questions about the future of web traffic and content monetization.