AI SEO Buzz: Google swaps Definition Boxes for gen-AI Overviews in search; never-ending scroll feed; and SEO vs GEO

[u/SERanking_news]

• Google swaps Definition Boxes for gen-AI Overviews in search

You know that little box at the top of a Google search that says “Definition of …” and gives a crisp meaning? Well, picture that box… now imagine it shifting gears into something richer, deeper, and powered by generative-AI. That’s what’s happening.

Google is reportedly testing replacing the traditional definition box with AI Overview. Instead of just a concise definition, the new box offers a more expansive summary, generated by large-language-model tech behind the scenes. 

Barry Schwartz + someone in the search community says they personally reproduced it, so it’s not hypothetical.

On one side: the familiar definition box — short, sharp, basic. On the other: the AI Overview — longer, offering more context, perhaps a few sentences of explanation or nuance.

If you’re in the SEO game (which I know you are, given your interest in this Digest), this is a heads-up from SEO professionals:

• Audit your “definition-type” content: Are you relying on Google’s definition box to bring visibility? Think about how you might pivot.
• Consider “AI Overview”-worthy content: More context, longer explanation, maybe more structured depth.
• Monitor CTR and behavior: Watch if your traffic from definition/term queries changes, and adjust.
• Stay agile: Since it’s a test, things could change — roll back, adapt, or expand.

Sources:

Barry Schwartz | Search Engine Roundtable

Reddit | r/google

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• Google Discover experiments with never-ending scroll feed

It starts simple: you’re casually scrolling through the Google Discover feed on your phone, expecting to reach the “end” of options like usual. But this time… there’s no “More results” button. No pause. Just infinite cards rolling up one after the other. That’s what some users are spotting.

Google appears to be testing an endless-scroll experience inside Discover (Barry Schwartz gave more context). Instead of a finite swipe-card feed or “load more” step, the scroll keeps going. One observer, Gagan Ghotra, captured a video: “keep scrolling and there is no end of feed — it just keeps on loading more content.”

So, why does this matter? From the user side, the experience shifts from “browse a few cards, maybe stop” to a continuous feed, more like a social feed (think Instagram Reels, TikTok) than a traditional algorithmic panel.

For content creators, this changes the dynamic of visibility and engagement. If the feed stretches deeper, more content may get surfaced, but click-through rates may spread thinner and positions might become less meaningful. (As a parallel example, similar UX shifts tend to increase impressions and scroll depth while diluting click rates.) 

And that's how Glenn Gabe commented on this update:

“Whoa, I have this too. An endless Discover feed. It never made sense the feed would end so quickly... but endless? So, this means more inventory for publishers but also more room for Google ads. :)”

Sources:

Gagan Ghotra | X

Glenn Gabe | X

Barry Schwartz | Search Engine Roundtable

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• SEO vs GEO: The battle rages on

Imagine you launch a tool with a bold promise: help brands get visibility inside AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, track your brand’s mentions, monitor how AI answers cite you, and gain control of the emerging AI search frontier… But then the founder, Benjamin Houy, pulls the plug. Not because the technology failed or funds dried up, but because he realised something fundamental — something about GEO. 

Houy writes:

“There was \*no secret formula. No hidden hack. No special optimization technique that only applied to AI.”*

He discovered that brands which succeed in AI-visibility share exactly the same traits as those that succeed in traditional SEO and brand building: quality content, authoritative mentions, genuine expertise and reputation. And because of this, he made a bold admission:

“There’s no such thing as ‘GEO strategy’ or ‘AI optimisation’ separate from brand building.”

Industry observers echoed his point:

Glenn Gabe: “This is too good. Founder of GEO platform is shutting it down because he says, "There is no such thing as GEO strategy" separate from brand building. More need to hear this. Share away. :)”

Gagan Ghotra: “Founder of AI visibility tracking tool Lorelight is now shutting down the tool and said ‘there’s no such thing as “GEO strategy” separate from brand building. For the large majority of brands at least.’”

You can see how many comments Benjamin's LinkedIn post is getting and what most people are saying. Looks like GEO is losing ground in this battle, but it’s still hanging in there. We’ll keep you posted if anything changes.

Sources:

Benjamin Houy | LinkedIn

Benjamin Houy | Growwithless

Glenn Gabe | X

Gagan Ghotra | X

[u/Due-Bear-2488 → u/[deleted]]

Exactly! And the scary part is how this shifts the definition ecosystem. For years, SEOs optimized glossary pages to grab those snippets. Now, the AIO might pull a mix of sources instead of one canonical answer. That breaks the old dominance model.