Google’s AI overviews surge after March 2025 core update

If you're searching for the best date night spots or planning your next getaway, there’s a good chance you’ve seen Google’s AI-generated summaries popping up at the top of your search results. And you're not alone.

Since Google’s March 2025 core update, there’s been a massive jump in the number of AI Overviews—especially in entertainment, restaurants, and travel.

The Spike in Numbers

Between March 13 and 27, data from enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge revealed that AI Overviews increased by:

528% for entertainment queries

(Think: "Julia Roberts movies" or "movies filmed in Chicago")

387% for restaurant searches

(Such as: "date night restaurants" or "Thai restaurants near me")

381% for travel-related queries

(Like: "things to do in Santa Fe" or "things to do in Hawaii")

These are eye-popping increases. But they come with a footnote—these industries traditionally had fewer AI Overviews compared to areas like healthcare or education.

Why This Matters

If you're handling SEO for brands in these industries, this shift could affect how much traffic your website receives—even if your search rankings haven’t changed.

That’s because AI Overviews often answer users’ questions directly, potentially lowering click-through rates to websites.

What You Should Do (Right Now)

According to Jim Yu, founder and executive chair at BrightEdge, here are three key actions to stay ahead:

Create decision-support content.

Write articles or guides that help users choose what to eat, watch, or explore.

Stay in tune with seasonal trends.

Regularly update content based on seasonal interests and search behavior.

Optimize for entity-based searches.

Especially in entertainment or if your brand is linked to well-known people or places.