The next time you wonder why school buses are yellow, you might not have to read a single word to get the answer. Google's latest experimental feature can literally tell you the answer, in a tiny audio clip that loads right to your results page.
Launched Friday in Search Labs,Audio Overviewsuses Google's latestGeminiAI modelsto turn certain queries into 30- to 45-second, podcast-style explainers, complete with on-screen source links for fact-checking.
The move pushesGoogle's AI Overviewsbeyond text, positioning Search for a semi-hands-free, voice-first future, while also raising more questions about what this means for publishers who rely on clicks.
If you're interested, you can try out Google's Audio Overviews right now. Go to theGoogle Labs website, opt in to the Search Labs program if you're not already signed up and toggle onAudio Overviews.
You can hitTry an exampleto test out the feature.
The next time you run a query, like "How do I stop apps from tracking my exact location on myiPhone," Google might show you a button that saysGenerate Audio Overview, which you'll have to scroll down a little to see.
You can then tap on theAudio Overviewto process the clip, and then press play. You can speed up the audio, mute the clip and also rate it with a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to better train it.
Audio Overviews are only available in the US for now.
Below the player, Google lists the web pages it drew from, so you can click through to fact-check the information or just dig deeper.
For those with visual impairments, this new feature offers a glimpse at what a voice-first Google might look like. But until Google expands language support and proves the summaries are dependable, consider this a nifty experiment for now, not a substitute for reading the full story.
