TL;DR
A featured snippet lifts a passage verbatim from one ranking page and shows it in a box, linked. An AI Overview generates a new answer synthesized from multiple sources and cites several. Snippets reward one strong passage; AI Overviews reward being one of several credible, quotable sources.
| Aspect | Featured snippet | AI Overview |
|---|---|---|
| Source count | One page | Multiple, synthesized |
| Text | Verbatim extract | Generated answer |
| Position | Top of organic ("position 0") | Above organic results |
| Optimization | One strong, liftable passage | Be a credible, quotable source |
| Stability | Relatively stable | Rotates frequently |
Both occupy the prime spot above the classic results, but they work differently.
Featured snippet
Google selects a single passage from a ranking page that best answers the query and displays it verbatim, with a link. The optimization play is to provide one clean, directly-quotable answer to a specific question.
AI Overview
Google generates a fresh answer by synthesizing several sources, citing some. You optimize by being one of the credible, well-structured, quotable sources it can draw on — and the source set rotates often. Clicks to the top organic result fall ~58% when an AI Overview appears.
What to do
The same content habits serve both: a crisp direct answer near the top, clear structure, and dated specifics. More in what is an AI Overview.
Frequently asked questions
Are AI Overviews replacing featured snippets?
On many queries AI Overviews now appear above or instead of snippets, but featured snippets still show for plenty of queries. Optimizing a clear direct answer helps you win either.
Which sends more traffic, a snippet or an AI Overview?
Featured snippets historically sent clicks via their link; AI Overviews tend to reduce clicks sharply (~58% to the top result) because they answer on-page. Being cited in an AI Overview is more about visibility than clicks.