Google’s AI Overviews, seen by about 2 billion users each month, cite YouTube more often than any medical website when answering health-related search queries, according to a new German study. Researchers analysed more than 50,000 health searches conducted in Germany and found that YouTube accounted for 4.43% of all citations used in AI-generated summaries—more than hospitals, government health portals or medical associations.
The study, by SEO firm SE Ranking, raises concerns because YouTube is not a medical publisher and hosts content from both qualified professionals and untrained influencers. While Google says its system prioritises high-quality and reputable sources and notes that many YouTube health videos come from licensed experts, researchers argue that popularity and visibility may be outweighing medical reliability.
Experts warn the findings suggest structural risks in how AI Overviews are designed, echoing earlier reports of misleading or potentially harmful health information appearing in Google’s AI summaries.
