A new Search Overview animation arrives, hints at Gemini 2.0

Google appears to be testing a new loading animation for AI Overviews in Search, and it’s clear that Gemini is the driving force behind the redesign. This updated animation is considerably more dynamic than the current approach, and it may also be hinting at the arrival of Gemini 2.0 in Search.

Currently, when loading an AI Overview, users see a “Searching…” message that transitions to “Generating…” accompanied by blue lines of text. This is often badged with either the Gemini sparkle and “AI Overview” or a beaker icon and “Search Labs | AI Overview” for those in the Search Labs program.

The new animation, spotted by a user on Reddit (via 9to5Google), takes a different approach. “Generating…” appears immediately in the top-left corner, followed by “Looking this up” and “Putting it all together” within the main container. But the most striking change is the introduction of a pulsating blue and purple aura effect that moves across the container. This animation strongly resembles the Gemini overlay seen in other Google products, creating a more cohesive visual language.

Interestingly, this new look may coincide with Google’s recent tests of Gemini 2.0 for AI Overviews. Earlier this month, Google confirmed it was experimenting with the updated model, promising “advanced reasoning capabilities” that would enable AI Overviews to handle more complex queries, including math equations and coding. It’s possible this new animation, with its emphasis on “looking things up” and “putting it all together,” reflects the enhanced processing involved with Gemini 2.0.

While this could simply be a visual refresh, the timing and design choices suggest a deeper connection to the integration of Gemini 2.0. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this development and will share updates as they become available.