Australian AI Overview Index: which sites Google's AI answers cite (October 2026)
In Edition 1, October 2026 (scan of 23 October 2026), Google showed an AI Overview in 119 of 120 runs across 40 Australian questions, and each one listed about 7 to 10 sources. Individual businesses' own sites were among them in 116 of 119 AI Overviews, alongside government sites for law, accounting and health questions, and social media, video and forum sites for building and trade questions.
By Jarek Piotrowski · Scan of · Published monthly · Download the data (CSV)
- AI Overview shown
- 119 of 120 runs (99%)
- Questions
- 40, in 5 industries, 3 runs each
- Sources per AI Overview
- 7 to 10 on average, by industry
- Cited a business's own site
- 116 of 119 AI Overviews
- Different sites cited
- 435
- Scan date
- 23 October 2026
Industry slices, Edition 1, October 2026
- Government sources depend on the industry. Medical and allied health AI Overviews cited a government or court site in 75% of runs; trades and home services in 9% (scan of 23 October 2026).
- Media, social and directories peak in trades and home services: 100% of its AI Overviews cited at least one, against 46% in law (scan of 23 October 2026).
- AI Overviews were close to universal. Every vertical showed one, at least once, on every one of its 8 questions, in 119 of 120 runs overall (scan of 23 October 2026).
| Industry | Runs with an AI Overview | Sources per AI Overview | Cited a business site | Cited a government site | Cited media, social or a directory |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Law | 24 of 24 (100%) | 7.2 on average | 100% | 63% | 46% |
| Accounting | 24 of 24 (100%) | 7.9 on average | 100% | 67% | 63% |
| Medical and allied health | 24 of 24 (100%) | 8 on average | 100% | 75% | 83% |
| Architecture and engineering | 24 of 24 (100%) | 9.4 on average | 100% | 33% | 75% |
| Trades and home services | 23 of 24 (96%) | 8.4 on average | 87% | 9% | 100% |
Counts per question and per industry: ai-overview-index-2026-10.csv (CSV, aggregates only, scan of 23 October 2026). Licensed CC BY 4.0: free to reuse with a link to this page.
Source types by industry
Each bar: the share of that industry's AI Overviews (runs that showed one) citing at least one site of that type. Scan of 23 October 2026, 3 runs per question. The Index reports types and counts only; it names no cited site.
Law
AI Overview on 8 of 8 questions; in 24 of 24 runs. Average 7.2 sites cited per AI Overview (scan of 23 October 2026). What this means for law websites.
Accounting
AI Overview on 8 of 8 questions; in 24 of 24 runs. Average 7.9 sites cited per AI Overview (scan of 23 October 2026). What this means for accounting websites.
Medical and allied health
AI Overview on 8 of 8 questions; in 24 of 24 runs. Average 8 sites cited per AI Overview (scan of 23 October 2026). What this means for medical and allied health websites.
Architecture and engineering
AI Overview on 8 of 8 questions; in 24 of 24 runs. Average 9.4 sites cited per AI Overview (scan of 23 October 2026). What this means for architecture and engineering websites.
Trades and home services
AI Overview on 8 of 8 questions; in 23 of 24 runs. Average 8.4 sites cited per AI Overview (scan of 23 October 2026). What this means for trades and home services websites.
What it means for a business
- Individual businesses are cited, not only big brands. An individual business or practice site was among the sources in 116 of 119 AI Overviews (97%), with 7 to 10 sources listed per answer on average (scan of 23 October 2026).
- In law, accounting and health, government sources are in most answers (49 of 72 AI Overviews, scan of 23 October 2026). A business site shares those answers with official sources.
- For building and trade questions, social media, video and forum sites appear in most answers (33 of 47 AI Overviews, scan of 23 October 2026).
- Answers change from run to run. That's why every question here gets 3 runs. How to check what AI says about your business.
- Google can only cite a page its crawler can read. Check whether your site lets Google and the AI crawlers in.
Method
- Questions. 40 fixed questions in Edition 1, October 2026, 8 per industry, written the way people type them. They don't change between editions, so editions compare like with like. The full list is below.
- Engine. Google results through DataForSEO's search results API, Australia (2036), en, desktop, with the AI Overview loaded. Every question gets 3 runs, because AI Overviews vary from run to run.
- Counting. A site counts as cited in a run when it appears among that AI Overview's linked sources. Sites are grouped by type by hand (government, professional bodies, directories and so on); a site on none of those lists counts as an individual business or practice, and the most-cited ones were checked by eye.
- Monthly. One scan per month, with a fixed spend cap. From edition 2 the fixed set grows to 100 questions (20 per industry); questions 1 to 8 in each industry stay exactly as they are, so the trend is read on those.
The 40 questions in Edition 1, October 2026
Law
- how long does probate take in nsw
- do i need a lawyer to contest a will
- how long does a divorce take in australia
- what happens in a family law property settlement
- do i need a lawyer for a car accident claim
- how to make a will in australia
- can my employer change my roster without notice
- what does a conveyancer do when buying a house
Accounting
- do i need an accountant for my small business
- sole trader or company australia
- when do i need to register for gst
- what can i claim for working from home
- how much does an accountant charge for a tax return
- what does a bookkeeper do
- how to value a small business in australia
- when is my tax return due australia
Medical and allied health
- do i need a referral to see a physio
- how long does a dental implant take
- how many psychology sessions on a mental health care plan
- what does an osteopath do
- how long is recovery from knee replacement
- when should i see a podiatrist
- how often should i see a dentist
- what is the difference between a physio and a chiro
Architecture and engineering
- do i need an architect for a renovation
- architect vs building designer australia
- how long does a development application take
- do i need a structural engineer for a deck
- how much does an architect cost in australia
- what does a building certifier do
- what is a soil test for building
- do i need council approval for a granny flat
Trades and home services
- how much does it cost to rewire a house
- do i need an electrician to install a ceiling fan
- how long does a bathroom renovation take
- how much does a plumber charge per hour
- how to fix a blocked drain
- do i need a licensed builder for a deck
- how long does a hot water system last
- what does a pre purchase building inspection cover
Limitations
- Small sample. 40 questions, 120 runs. Read the industry figures as direction, not as precise rates.
- One engine, one view. Google only (not ChatGPT, Perplexity or other assistants), desktop only, one location (Australia-wide), English.
- "Business" is the default type. A site not on the hand-made lists counts as an individual business, so a big brand we haven't listed would be counted as a business. The most-cited sites were checked by eye; the long tail was not.
- A snapshot. One scan on 23 October 2026. AI Overviews change week to week; monthly editions show the trend.
- No financial, lending or insurance questions are in the set.