Is Google Replacing Brand Knowledge Panels With AI Overviews?
This article is based on observations and reports shared by SEO professionals and industry experts, much like our look at how to check the impact of the Google September 2026 spam update. Google has not officially conf
This article is based on observations and reports shared by SEO professionals and industry experts, much like our look at how to check the impact of the Google September 2026 spam update.
Google has not officially confirmed any changes to how Brand Knowledge Panels are displayed or whether AI Overviews are replacing them.
Search results may vary by query, location, and user. The information reflects publicly available observations at the time of writing.
Quick answer
What was reported: Some US searchers see an AI Overview in the right-hand column for brand searches, where a Knowledge Panel used to appear.
What is not confirmed: Google has not confirmed it in the report this post is based on. A German desktop test could not repeat it, so results differ by country.
What to do: Search your brand name now, check every fact Google shows, and fix wrong details at the source.
What was reported
On 2 November 2026, SEO specialist Chris Long shared an observation on twitter suggesting that Google was displaying AI Overviews in the right-hand column for some brand searches, seemingly replacing traditional Knowledge Panels.
Glenn Gabe reported seeing similar results for several major brands, while Barry Schwartz of Search Engine Roundtable documented multiple examples. German trade publication OnlineMarketing.de also covered the development on 3 November.
The new interface reportedly resembles a traditional Knowledge Panel. It can display a brand's website, contact information, key people, founding details, and images. In some cases, users can also expand the box to explore additional information.
However, this may be an experimental change rather than a permanent replacement. Google frequently tests search interface updates with limited users, meaning results may vary depending on the query, location, and user.
Why It Matters for Your Business
A Knowledge Panel mainly showed important facts about your brand. An AI Overview, however, uses AI to create a summary about your business. Recent reports highlight two possible risks:
Other websites may appear: AI Overviews can include links and information from other websites, including your competitors. Traditional Knowledge Panels did not display information in the same way.
AI can get things wrong: Google warns users that AI Overviews may contain incorrect information. This means outdated or incorrect details about your business could appear in a highly visible position on Google.
SEO specialist Lily Ray also reportedly prefers the new right-hand layout over AI Overviews appearing above regular search results. One reason is that AI Overviews can include links to competitors and other third-party websites.
How to check your brand: a 6-step audit
Run this audit once now, then repeat it every month to monitor changes in your brand's Google Search appearance.
| Step | What to do | What to look for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search your brand name and three variations, such as brand + reviews, brand + pricing, and brand + contact. Check on desktop and mobile. | Differences in search results or layouts. |
| 2 | Identify which box appears: a Knowledge Panel, an AI Overview above search results, or the reported right-hand AI layout. | Changes in the type or position of the information box. |
| 3 | Check important details, including your website, phone number, email, address, key people, founding year, and services. | Incorrect, outdated, or missing information. |
| 4 | Review the links and sources included in the AI Overview. | Unreliable sources, outdated pages, or competitor websites. |
| 5 | Repeat the search from another location or device, if possible. | Differences in brand information across locations. |
| 6 | Save screenshots with the date, search query, device, and location. | Changes in your brand's search appearance over time. |
How to Fix Incorrect or Missing Brand Information
If Google displays incorrect or incomplete information about your brand, start with these steps:
Update information at the source: Correct outdated details on your website, business directories, social profiles and other websites that mention your brand.
Make important information easy to find: Clearly explain who you are, what your business does, where you operate and how customers can contact you. Keep your About and Contact pages updated.
Keep your Google Business Profile updated: If your business has a Google Business Profile, make sure your address, contact details, opening hours, website and business description are accurate. Google also offers Gemini integration to help eligible business owners manage their profiles and review business information.
Use consistent brand information: Keep your business name, founder details, services and contact information consistent across your website and other trusted platforms.
Monitor your brand's AI visibility: Check how your brand appears in AI Overviews and other AI search experiences every month. You can do this manually, use an AI visibility tool to monitor multiple brands and queries, or check for a ChatGPT traffic drop in GA4.
What We Found When We Tested
We conducted a manual brand search auditcodewithamrendra to understand how Google displays brand-related information.
Our testing included five search queries covering brand identity, founder information, services, developer tools and the official domain.
We checked the results on both desktop and mobile to identify differences in search layouts and brand information.
Our Observations
- Brand visibility: Describe what appeared when searching for Code with Amrendra.
- Founder information: Check whether Google correctly identifies Amrendra Kumar.
- Business information: Check whether the displayed services match the official website.
- AI-generated information: Mention whether an AI Overview appeared.
- Website visibility: Describe how the official website and its internal pages appeared.
We also captured screenshots to document the search results and compare the information displayed across devices.
Testing details: Desktop and Mobile, Patna, India.
These findings reflect our own search observations and should not be treated as evidence of a permanent Google Search update.
Conclusion
Google's reported shift from traditional Knowledge Panels to AI Overviews could change how people discover and understand brands through search. However, this is still an unconfirmed observation, not an officially announced replacement. Businesses should not panic but should pay closer attention to how Google presents their brand information.
Keep your website, business profiles and important brand details accurate and consistent. Regularly check your search appearance, review the sources Google references, and correct outdated information wherever possible.
As AI continues to shape search and the future of web development in 2026, maintaining a clear and trustworthy online presence will become increasingly important.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Knowledge Panel gone?
For some US brand searches, reports say yes. The same article says Knowledge Panels still appear for many brand searches in Germany.
Has Google confirmed this change?
Not in the report this post is based on. Check Google's own announcements before you change your plans.
Can AI Overviews show wrong facts about my business?
Yes. Google itself says AI answers can contain mistakes, so check your brand details regularly.
How do I correct wrong information?
Fix it at the source: your website, your Google Business Profile and the other pages Google links to in the answer.
Originally published by Dev.to AI. Aggregated on AIWithGhost for educational purposes β full credit and traffic to the original publisher.