Google announced sweeping changes to the way it displays search results at Google 1/0 2026. Going forward, Google will be presenting expanded AI generated overviews with traditional links pushed far below the fold. Most of the episode looks at Google's changes, including their moves towards facilitating agentic search. Google wants to be the "do it for you" machine. We also talk about developments with the AI giants, user privacy breaches at X and TikTok, the new version of WordPress7.0, and much, much more.

We keep having these very long shows covering dozens of different stories because the worlds we work in are changing so rapidly and with such frequency. This is another long episode touching on over three dozen items. Here's a brief but incomplete rundown:

- Google Discover data missing in GSC for May 7 - 8. If you don't see it or it looks kinda weird, it's them not you.

- Google Ads is moving to passkey security for certain actions starting in mid July

- Google AdSense Vignette Ads are no longer a threat for triggering Google's back-button abuse policies

- Google Ads API v24.1 is out

- SEO MUST READ - Ryan Jones of Razorfish and maker of SERPrecon on how a Search Engine Works (https://www.serprecon.com/blog/how-a-search-engine-works)

- ICE Agents have over 20Million targets on their iPhones via Palantir

- New AI Act in Colorado allows for building of data centers in state

- Conde Nast anticipates search traffic to drop to single digits

- Google uses AI to actively disrupt hackers

- Microsoft has built a multi-agent AI system that can compete with and beat Anthropic's Mythos in cybersecurity tests

- A Harvard study found AI tends to feed businesses virtual nonsense when used for strategic planning

- The costs of compute are rising quickly and Anthropic is passing them to businesses and consumers

- Anthropic expands Claude AI's tools for law firms

- Don't ever follow ChatGPT's advice on using drugs. Just don't. A young person died after being advised he could use a toxic drug combination safely.

- AI is apparently rotting the brains of overworked software developers as AI tools start to feel like they're outsourcing their abilities to think

- Grok is flailing against its larger and somewhat less douchey competitors.

- TikTok introduces tools for FIFA World Cup content creators

- Google's shift to TurboQuant, a newish algorithm that radically speeds processing time, makes generative AI answers cheaper and easier to produce

- An Ahrefs study showed that adding schema did not boost citations on any AI platform including at Google.

- Google no longer supports FAQ rich results

- AI an unwelcome topic at commencement speeches across the nation

A lot of fun conversation as we try to keep up with the speed of light.

It was a busier than normal news week. Here's what we covered:

- Ask Jeeves is officially dead. IAC formally killed the OG search engine earlier this week.

- There's been a spike in Google Business profile suspensions.

- GSC fixed the 50 week impression data logging issue.

- A Hard Drive shortage is slowing AI development and pushing up the costs of new computers and equipment.

- Presented with the mythic power of Mythos, the Trump regime is now calling for the same AI safety testing it opposed in 2025.

- US Homeland Security is seeking Google data on Canadians and presumably other foreign nationals for their online criticism of the Trump regime.

- Google and Amazon's biggest profit driver in Q1-2026 was derived from their stakes in Anthropic.

- Google Chrome installs 4GB AI model on devices in update to enable Google Nano operability.

- The state of Pennsylvania is suing Character.AI after a chatbot posed as a licensed doctor.

- Open AI misses revenue targets. CFO worried about paying for future computing contacts.

- Managed WordPress might be blocking some AI bots.

- Bing publishes documentation on how grounding differs from search indexing.

- Google outlines how AI Overviews and AI Mode are separate systems that sometimes intercede with each other or through other systems.

- John Mueller says Vibe coding won't handle your SEO for you.

- Google expanding UCP Checkout to main search results pages.

- and, Ryan Jones from SERPRecon on what Semantic SEO Metrics mean and how to use them.

Join hosts Jim Hedger and Kristine Schachinger for a in-depth and lively conversations about these and dozens of other topics in a news heavy edition of Webcology