Google has started displaying AI-generated images within AI Overviews in Google Search, beginning with recipe-related queries. The rollout was observed this week by content creators who found cartoon-style illustrations generated by Google's image models replacing the photographic images they originally published.
What was announced
Google announced in mid-July 2026 that it would bring image generation directly into AI Overviews in Search. At the time, the company said the feature would help "bring unique ideas to life" for searchers. The first visible examples appeared in the week of August 13, 2026, when recipe creators began encountering AI-generated step-by-step illustrations in their AI Overview results.
What changed
Before this rollout, AI Overviews cited and displayed existing images from published web pages. The system pulled photographs, diagrams, and illustrations that content creators had produced and published on their own sites. Now, for some queries, Google generates its own images using AI and displays them directly within the AI Overview panel. Searchers see cartoon-style or illustrated visuals that were not created by any cited website.
Details and availability
The feature was first spotted in recipe results. The recipe site Inspired Taste reported finding AI-generated step-by-step cartoons for a spaghetti squash recipe while searching in Google. The illustrations showed cutting, seasoning, and cooking steps in a simplified cartoon style.
The images appear within the AI Overview panel and can be expanded by the user. They are displayed alongside or instead of the photographic images the creators originally published. Google's AI Overviews continue to cite the source websites in text, but the visual content shown to searchers is now generated rather than sourced from the cited pages.
The rollout appears limited in scope so far. It is not clear which query categories beyond recipes will receive AI-generated images, how broadly the feature has been deployed, or whether it applies to all languages and regions where AI Overviews are available.
Context
Google's AI Overviews have been a significant feature in Google Search since their expanded rollout in 2024. The feature summarizes information from multiple sources and presents it in a generated panel at the top of search results. Until now, the images within these panels were drawn from the same web pages that provided the textual content.
The shift to AI-generated images represents a change in how AI Overviews source their visual content. Rather than relying on publisher-created photography and illustrations, Google now generates its own visuals for some queries. This follows a broader pattern in which Google's AI features produce content directly rather than surfacing publisher material.
Content creators have raised concerns about the change. Inspired Taste wrote that the AI-generated illustrations are "directly trying to replace creators who buy groceries for testing, photography, and filming recipe videos." They also noted that searchers may confuse the AI-generated images with content from the cited websites, creating attribution problems.
The feature raises questions about the role of original photography and visual content in AI search results. If Google's AI systems generate their own illustrations for common query types, the incentive for publishers to produce original visual content for those topics may decrease.
What has not been confirmed
Google has not published a detailed rollout timeline or a list of query categories that will receive AI-generated images. It is not known whether the feature will expand beyond recipes to other content types such as product reviews, travel guides, or how-to content. Google has not stated whether the AI-generated images will carry any labeling or disclosure to distinguish them from publisher-created images. The effect on image search traffic, referral clicks, and publisher visibility within AI Overviews has not been documented.
Sources
- Google AI Overviews With AI-Generated Images In The Wild — Search Engine Roundtable, August 14, 2026. Barry Schwartz reporting on creator observations and screenshots.
- Inspired Taste post on X — Recipe creator reporting AI-generated illustrations in their AI Overview results, August 13, 2026.
