The Market Position
Gemini holds 14–15% of the global AI tool market and is the fastest-growing platform in the category.
In Australia, Gemini’s reach is amplified by something no other AI tool has — automatic exposure through Google Search. Every Australian who encounters an AI Overview in their Google results has interacted with Gemini, whether they know it or not. That makes its actual user base significantly larger than voluntary sign-up numbers suggest.
Two Different Products in One
It helps to understand that Gemini operates in two distinct ways for Australian users.
The first is as a standalone AI assistant — available at gemini.google.com — where users interact with it directly for research, writing and productivity tasks. The second, and far more commercially significant, is AI Overviews embedded directly in Google Search results. This is where Gemini answers questions before users ever click on a website, and it’s affecting organic traffic across virtually every category.
What’s Being Disrupted
Gemini AI Overviews are now appearing on a substantial proportion of informational and commercial search queries in Australia.
For businesses that built their digital presence around ranking for generic search terms, this is the most immediate disruption in the market. The answer appears at the top of the page. The user gets what they need. The click never happens.
The Shopping and Local Search Angle
Gemini has particular strength in shopping queries and local service searches — two categories where Australian businesses have historically relied on Google visibility to generate enquiries.
The integration with Google Maps, Google Business Profiles and product listings means Gemini’s influence on purchase decisions in these categories is already substantial and growing.
How ROI Helps Businesses Stay Visible in a Gemini-First Google
ROI helps businesses adapt their Google strategy to the reality of AI Overviews rather than the Google that existed three years ago.
That means optimising content to be cited within AI-generated answers — not just ranked below them — and ensuring Google Business Profiles, schema markup and structured data are all configured to feed Gemini the right signals. For businesses in local services, retail and professional categories, this work is now as fundamental as traditional SEO. ROI treats Gemini optimisation as a core component of search strategy, not an optional add-on.
