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Google may be testing more than one change to how AI Overviews appear in Search, but recent reports describe two separate observations—not one confirmed redesign. One report spotted an AI Overview beneath a hotel Knowledge Panel; another compared a shorter desktop Overview with an older, longer layout. Neither report establishes a general rollout.
What the reports say Google is testing
The phrase “inside Knowledge Panels” overstates what the available report shows. Search Engine Roundtable reported on September 24, 2026, that an AI Overview appeared at the bottom-right of the results page beneath a hotel Knowledge Panel in some searches. Its report attributes the screenshots to Lluc Penycate. It also notes that the familiar placement near the top of the page appeared in other searches, suggesting the observed position varied rather than changing consistently. Search Engine Roundtable’s report describes the Overview as below the panel, not necessarily embedded in the panel’s contents.
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A separate Search Engine Watch report, dated September 25, 2026, describes a shorter desktop AI Overview compared with an older, longer version. The article characterizes the change as a possible test based on its comparison of the layouts; it does not tie that shorter design to the hotel-panel sighting. Search Engine Watch’s report should therefore be read as evidence of a distinct layout observation, not proof of the hotel placement.
How the two observations differ
| Observation | Search context | Reported layout | What the evidence establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Knowledge Panel placement | Some hotel searches | AI Overview at the bottom-right beneath the Knowledge Panel; top-of-page placement also appeared in other searches | A reported, variable placement sighting |
| Shorter desktop design | Desktop Search | A shorter Overview compared with an older, longer version | A reported comparison that the article treats as a possible test |
The reports do not establish that both layouts belong to the same experiment, share a trigger, or are being tested for the same group of users. Keeping them separate matters: the hotel report concerns where an Overview appeared relative to a Knowledge Panel, while the desktop report concerns the Overview’s length.
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Is the change live for everyone?
No broad release is confirmed by these reports. They document sightings and comparisons, but do not give a rollout date, geographic scope, eligibility criteria, test size, or duration. Google can alter or end search-interface experiments without a public announcement, so a layout seen by one person or in one search is not evidence that every user will see it.
Google’s official background document, “AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search”, explains the product terms and general context. It does not confirm either specific September 2026 observation. The reports likewise do not include a statement from Google about these particular layouts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What site owners and searchers should take from this
For searchers, the practical point is that an AI Overview’s position or length may not look identical across searches. The hotel example is explicitly variable: the Overview appeared beneath the Knowledge Panel in some sightings, while a top-of-page position was also observed. The reports provide no basis to treat either position as permanent.
For site owners, this is evidence of interface experimentation, not evidence of a ranking change or a traffic effect. The cited reports contain no measurement of clicks, impressions, rankings, referrals, or publisher traffic. A screenshot can show where a feature rendered; it cannot by itself establish whether users clicked less, whether a site lost visibility, or whether the change affected search performance. Any traffic conclusion would require separate data.
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The most accurate summary is therefore limited: in late September 2026, industry reports described a variable AI Overview placement beneath a hotel Knowledge Panel and, separately, a shorter desktop Overview design. They do not verify a single unified “longer panel inside Knowledge Panels” test or a general change to Google Search.
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