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Yes—in several late-September 2026 datasets, Google AI Overviews appeared on most of the measured branded searches. Ahrefs found an Overview on 73.3% of its broad US desktop branded-keyword sample for September, while a separate panel found one on 63 of 100 exact-name brand searches on September 30. These results describe specific samples, not every brand query or every Google user.
How often did AI Overviews appear on branded searches?
The rate depends on what counts as a branded search and how it is measured. Ahrefs analyzed 232.8 million US desktop Google search-result crawls from July through September 2026: 92.5 million branded-keyword crawls and 140.2 million non-branded-keyword crawls. Its monthly averages show branded-query AIO prevalence rising during that period.
| Query sample | Period | AI Overview presence |
|---|---|---|
| Ahrefs broad branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | July 2026 monthly average | 61.3% |
| Ahrefs broad branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | August 2026 monthly average | 65.1% |
| Ahrefs broad branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | September 2026 monthly average | 73.3% |
| Ahrefs broad branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | September 29, 2026 snapshot | 82.91% |
| Ahrefs non-branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | July 2026 monthly average | 73.5% |
| Ahrefs non-branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | August 2026 monthly average | 74.7% |
| Ahrefs non-branded-keyword crawl, US desktop | September 2026 monthly average | 78.3% |
The non-branded rates were higher in July and August, but the gap narrowed by September. These are Ahrefs database measurements, not a census of Google searches. See Ahrefs’ report and methodology.
Why do the reports give different rates?
Broad branded keywords versus exact brand names
A branded keyword can include a brand plus another term, such as a product, service, or question. An exact-name search is just the brand name. Those query groups are not interchangeable.
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In a separate panel, Ahrefs tracked 100 exact-name queries selected from Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2025 at 14 weekly checkpoints. On July 1, an AIO appeared on 5 of 98 usable results; on September 30, it appeared on 63 of 100. Of those 63 September Overviews, 48 appeared in position one (76.2%), and their average position was 1.49. Those position figures apply only to this exact-name panel, not the broad branded-keyword crawl.
A separate DemandSphere dataset
Semrush’s account of DemandSphere data reports AIO presence on tracked branded queries at 28–34% in the first week of September 2026 and above 80% by late September. Its chart is described as rising from about 25% to above 75%. This is a different dataset, with potentially different query definitions; it should not be combined with Ahrefs’ series. Semrush also emphasizes that its measure is whether an Overview appeared—not whether the searched brand was mentioned or cited in the answer. See Semrush’s report.
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Does an Overview mention the brand or cite its own website?
Not necessarily. A presence rate counts search results that displayed an AIO. It does not establish whether the brand appeared in the generated text, whether the answer was accurate, or whether the brand’s own site was among the sources.
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| External source | Observed citations in the panel |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | 41 AIOs (71.9%) |
| YouTube | 22 AIOs (38.6%) |
| 13 AIOs (22.8%) |
Ahrefs also reports that two of 58 readable answers explicitly discussed competitors, while only one competitor-owned site appeared across 57 available source lists. These limited observations do not show how every Overview represents a company. Google describes AIOs as generative summaries with links to learn more; that is the company’s account of the product’s design, not independent verification of each answer’s quality. Read Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode explainer.
What the figures do—and do not—show
- They show growing AIO presence in the reported samples. Ahrefs’ broad branded-keyword monthly average rose from 61.3% in July to 73.3% in September, and its separate exact-name panel recorded 63 appearances among 100 queries on September 30.
- They do not represent every search. Ahrefs specifies US desktop crawls and a distinct panel of global-brand exact-name queries. Its database is not Google’s complete internal query log; results can vary by date, location, device, query wording, and personalization.
- Presence is not inclusion. An Overview can appear without the queried brand being named or its website being cited.
- Presence is not proof of business impact. These SERP observations do not establish that a company lost traffic, conversions, or revenue because an AIO appeared.
How to check what people see for your brand
Review the actual branded searches that matter to your business in the relevant country, device, and time period. Record the Overview, if present, alongside what it says, which sources it cites, whether the information is current, and where your own result appears.
- Choose a stable query set. Separate bare brand names from brand-plus-product, brand-plus-service, and brand-plus-question queries. Keep the definitions consistent when comparing dates.
- Inspect the results in context. Check the location and device that matter to your audience. Note whether an AIO appears, its position, whether it mentions the brand, and which sources it cites.
- Track visibility and clicks separately. Google Search Console can help you examine branded-query impressions and click-through rate over time. A before-and-after change is a diagnostic signal, not proof that an AIO caused it. Keep query mix, geography, device, rankings, campaigns, and seasonality in view.
- Compare like with like. Semrush recommends comparing branded-query CTR for a full week before and after an observed appearance rather than relying on raw clicks, since brand demand can vary. This is vendor guidance, not a controlled causal test.
For workflow examples, Ahrefs describes filtering branded organic keywords by the AI Overviews SERP feature and inspecting responses in Brand Radar; these are vendor tools, not requirements for checking your search results.
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