Google’s AI search splits into two distinct modes – AI Mode and AI Overviews – and brands can’t treat them the same. That’s the key takeaway from a new analysis of thousands of prompts, shared exclusively with Search Engine Land by enterprise SEO platform BrightEdge.
By the numbers:
- AI Mode: Brands show up in 90% of responses, surfacing 3.8x more unique brands.
- AI Overviews: Brands are mentioned 43% of the time in responses, and there is 30x higher week-to-week volatility.
- Citations: AI Mode leans on 5 to 7 source cards; AI Overviews have 20+ inline citations per response.
Why we care. Search is no longer only about rankings. It’s about presence. AI Mode appears to give brands a reliable, wide-reaching platform. Meanwhile, AI Overviews are more volatile – but you may be able to learn where Google’s algorithm is heading.
What’s happening: This is the split brands need to understand, according to BrightEdge:
- AI Mode: A broad, stable discovery engine. Lower entry barriers. Predictable patterns.
- AI Overview: A selective, fast-shifting curator. Heavy citation density. A testing ground for visibility.
What they’re saying. Jim Yu, founder and executive chair at BrightEdge, said the reality of AI search in 2025 is one strategy with two different expressions of value:
- “The difference in brand inclusion and opposite volatility patterns reveals Google’s dual approach. AI Mode provides stable, broad discovery while AI Overviews test new ranking approaches with higher selectivity. Your opportunity? Build content that works for both – comprehensive enough for AI Mode’s breadth, authoritative enough for AI Overviews’ selectivity.”