Organic search results are being pushed further down Google's results page for an expanding set of queries. Google confirmed on August 28, 2026, that AI Overviews will now dynamically expand to their full length for certain searches, automatically replacing the truncated snippet format that has been standard since the feature launched.
What the Change Removes
Google confirmed that for some queries, AI Overviews may dynamically expand to their full state, replacing the AI Overview snippet with a full detailed response. Previously, Google would load a snippet of the AI Overview, and users would have to click "Show more" to see the full AI Overview response.
Under the new behaviour, the entire AI Overview appears immediately, including the "Ask anything" box, pushing organic results lower on the page.
A Google spokesperson confirmed the change in a statement:
"For some queries, AI Overviews may dynamically expand for topics where our systems determine it's most useful for people. Our research has shown that with this dynamic experience, users find Search more helpful and engage deeper in follow-up exploration."
How the Expansion Behaves
The expansion is dynamic: if a user has already scrolled past the Overview, Google cancels the automatic expansion so the reader doesn't lose their position. Google VP of Product for Search Robby Stein addressed the change directly on August 28, 2026, confirming that "AI Overviews only dynamically expand for topics where our systems determine it to be most useful." If users have already started scrolling, the expansion stops to keep their place, Stein added, noting that Google is "always testing and tuning these experiences."
Google did not comment on what percentage of queries this impacts or whether it will continue to expand to more queries over time.
When the Behaviour Was First Observed
SEO professional Chris Long first identified the change and posted about it on X, writing: "Google is now revealing the AI Mode prompt box BY DEFAULT for some queries," and characterizing it as part of Google's ongoing effort to make AI Mode the default search experience. Google also added link carousels for developing topics to AI Mode earlier in the same week, mirroring a feature it had previously introduced for AI Overviews.
Implications for Organic Search and Publishers
The practical consequence is that users may get the information they need without clicking through to other websites, which can depress click-through rates for publishers and change the distribution of organic traffic. Google has declined to specify which queries qualify, meaning there is no way to determine in advance whether a results page will display a list of links or a fully expanded AI answer with links pushed below it.
For search marketers and content publishers, the change reinforces a pattern already underway with standard AI Overviews: pages that appear in AI-generated citations may maintain some visibility, while pages that do not risk losing the click entirely when dynamic expansion is triggered. Monitoring Google Search Console for click-through rate shifts on informational queries is a practical near-term step, as this format change disproportionately affects question-based and research-oriented searches.
Robby Stein, VP of Product for Google Search, confirmed the feature on August 28, 2026, stating that the expansion is governed by Google's systems determining relevance on a per-query basis and that the behaviour will continue to be refined over time.
