Is it possible to turn off AI Overview in Google Search? What we know.
If you've opened up your phone to do a Google Search lately, you've probably noticed Google's new language model, Gemini, at work.
Google now produces artificial intelligence-generated answers to your search queries, pulling from everything on the internet to provide you with the information you need.
Gemini is a multimodal model, which means it can "generalize and seamlessly understand, operate across and combine different types of information including text, code, audio, image and video," according to Google.
But some people are wary of it and want to know how they can turn Google Search's new AI feature off.
Is it possible? Here's what we know.
Can you turn off AI Overview in Google search?
The previous Search Generative Experience that included a similar feature was opt-in for users, but AI Overviews aren't, USA TODAY previously reported.
AI Overviews are a part of Google Search now and will show up if your queries trigger them, though they don't yet show up for every query.
There is a way to get closer to the previous results model, though. You can filter for web links by clicking on the "more" tab and then "web" to filter your results.
Google all in on AI and Gemini:How it will affect your Google searches
Gemini can be toggled off in Google app, but not in Safari
If you are conducting web searches in the Google app, you can turn off Gemini's results by following these steps:
- On your iPhone, open the Google app.
- At the top right, tap your Profile picture then click on Settings and then Voice.
- Find Show Gemini.
- If it’s on , the Gemini tab will appear at the top of your Google app.
- If it’s off , the Gemini tab will no longer be available on your Google app home screen, but you can still find your prior chats with Gemini in your Gemini Apps Activity.
How to delete your Gemini activity in the app
"Gemini used to be just a chatbot, and now we're seeing it become a personal AI assistant" Amar Subramanya, vice president of engineering for Gemini experiences, said in an interview with USA TODAY, but some aren't as excited about the integration.
Search history and activity are automatically deleted by Google after 18 months, but they can be deleted at any time by following these steps:
- On your iPhone or iPad, go to gemini.google.com.
- At the top, tap Menu Activity .
- You can also go to myactivity.google.com/product/gemini.
- Choose the Gemini activity you want to delete. You can choose:
- All your Gemini activity: Above your activity, tap Delete All time.
- The last hour or day: Above your activity, tap Delete Last hour or Last day.
- A specific time period: Above your activity, tap Delete Custom range.
- A specific day: Next to the day, tap Delete all activity from (day) .
- A specific activity: Next to the activity, tap Delete activity item .
Contributing: Felecia Wellington Radel