Google’s new AI Overview is destroying the web!
Well, it’s definitely changing it, but are we sure it’s for the worse?
Just try searching for “how to take a screenshot” and you’ll immediately understand the current state of the web. Endless pages of duplicated or AI generated content, guides that repeat themselves infinitely, sites that all look the same, invasive popups and banner ads that make browsing a nightmare.
The problem isn’t new. Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a progressive degradation of web quality, where search engine optimization has often taken priority over creating valuable content for users.
But maybe, just maybe, this AI Overview revolution could be the opportunity for a reset.
Maybe we’ll start making sites that are actually worth visiting again, without them being buried under dozens of invasive ads? AI Overview might finally penalize those sites that focused only on low-cost traffic, pushing toward higher content quality.
Maybe bookmarks, directories, and trust in the publisher/creator/random person will start mattering again? If AI Overview provides direct answers, users might go back to seeking reliable sources and trusting those who have built a reputation over time.
Maybe we’ll start writing for humans and not for search engines? This could be the most important shift. Instead of optimizing for increasingly complex algorithms, we might go back to creating content designed for people.
Maybe we’ll stop making sites that all look the same? AI Overview might reward originality and authenticity, pushing toward a more diverse and creative web.
As someone pointed out in a LinkedIn comment on a post I wrote this morning, sites like Salvatore Aranzulla’s one are in for a massive traffic drop, easily. For those outside Italy, Salvatore Aranzulla is basically the country’s unofficial tech support guy that built an empire out of “how to reset your password” articles.
These sites that have been based on generic, easily replicable “tutorial” content might be the most affected. AI Overview provides immediate answers without needing to click on external links.
There’s a risk though: we might see an increase in sites with valuable content that close themselves behind paywalls or similar solutions. That would be a shame.
I really like freemium models like “Il Post” for example, and I think they could be effective in this kind of context too. But we’ll see…
AI Overview might finally push toward a web where content quality matters more than volume, where authenticity is rewarded, where users go back to trusting sources, where creativity and originality have value, where sites focus on user experience rather than clicks.
The change is inevitable. Google AI Overview is already modifying how people search for information online. Instead of resisting change, maybe we should embrace it as an opportunity to create a better web.
A web where quality content is rewarded, where user experience really matters, and where creativity still has space to express itself.
Maybe, after years of wild optimization, it’s time to go back to creating for people, not for algorithms.
And if this means saying goodbye to sites full of banners and duplicated content, so be it. The web will definitely come out better.