Search Generative Experience (SGE) launch
Google launched a generative AI answer layer above search results as an opt-in Search Labs experiment in the United States.
What changed
Announced at Google I/O 2023, the Search Generative Experience placed an AI-written summary with supporting links above the conventional results for many queries. It was opt-in through Search Labs and limited to the United States at launch, expanding to more countries and languages over the following year. Publishers raised early concerns about the effect on click-through rates because the summary often answered the query in place. SGE was the direct predecessor of AI Overviews.
Timing
Rollout began 10 May 2023. No completion date was announced. Rankings typically remain unstable for the whole rollout window, so measurements taken inside it are not a reliable read on the outcome.