# Google's AI Overview label vanishes on desktop, stays on mobile

Published: 2026-10-20T14:03:11.283Z · Source: Search Engine Roundtable (https://www.seroundtable.com/google-ai-overviews-label-missing-42337.html)
Source date: 2026-10-20
Flags: single-source — confirmation pending
Entities: google, ai-overviews

Some Google desktop search results carrying AI Overviews are missing the AI Overview label while the same results still show it on mobile, per Search Engine Roundtable, which cites observations Glenn Gabe posted on X on October 20, 2026. Google has not commented; a similar labeling gap appeared before and was later confirmed as a bug, per the outlet. The outlet also notes the gap could help explain a separate Semrush report of fewer visible AI Overviews — though it cautions that drop could equally reflect a tracking error rather than fewer AI Overviews actually appearing.

Why it matters: A labeling gap between desktop and mobile means any tool that counts AI Overviews by scanning for the visible label — as most third-party trackers do — can undercount them wherever the tag drops out.

## What this answers

**Does Google always label AI Overviews on search results?**

Not as of October 2026 — some desktop results carrying AI Overviews were missing the AI Overview label while the same results on mobile still showed it, per Search Engine Roundtable, and Google had not commented.


Canonical: https://anythingengineoptimization.com/item/2026-10-20-google-s-ai-overview-label-vanishes-on-desktop-stays-on-mobile/
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