Will AI Overviews permanently replace the classic Local Pack?

Something has been happening Stateside: the traditional local pack, which has been governing local SEO for years, is being replaced by AI-generated responses. 

Companies losing their online presence, fewer action buttons, radically different visibility logic: here’s what this seismic shift is doing and how you can stay on top of it.

Is the traditional local pack now doomed?

Over in the US, a silent but radical change has been taking place in Google search results: the traditional local pack (a block of three local companies accompanied by a map) is gradually being replaced by AI Overviews snippets.

Oh damn, @JoyanneHawkins is right. AI Local packs are showing up more and more. I just saw one -> AI is Quietly Taking Over Local SEO! No One’s Ready for This

Here's the problem:
*Fewer Spots: They often show only 1 or 2 businesses instead of the usual 3.
*No Call Buttons: Many… pic.twitter.com/NHWzL0pAJO

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) January 15, 2026

This means that the classic local pack we’re so used to seeing is being replaced by an AI-generated block… that displays fewer companies! 

American local SEO experts such as Joy Hawkins and Glenn Gabe have been following this changing ecosystem, noting that “AI local packs” only display 1 or 2 companies, compared to 3 in the traditional version. In some cases, AI limits its results to just one recommendation.

Key figure 

Estimates show that local AI packs only display 32% of the companies that were once ranked in traditional local packs (Source: willscott.me). So, securing a spot as one of the 1 – 2 displayed companies is now the deciding game-changer!

Estimates show that local AI packs only display 32% of the companies that were once ranked in traditional local packs (Source: willscott.me). So, securing a spot as one of the 1 – 2 displayed companies is now the deciding game-changer!

Another major change: the “click to call” button so valued on mobile versions has disappeared. AI Overviews doesn’t seem to offer all the CTA buttons (website, book an appointment, directions, etc.) that are usually displayed in traditional local pack search results.

This means local SEO strategies are changing. Whereas appearing in the top 3 was once enough, AI Overviews has a binary approach: “either a company is cited, or it doesn’t exist.”  

How does this affect local companies?

The shift to AI Overviews has tangible, practical implications for local businesses, both in terms of the goals set and how they evaluate their performance. Two elements stand out:

The local pack is no longer the be-all and end-all

For years, appearing in the local pack’s top 3 has been the holy grail of local SEO. If the local pack disappears, this goal becomes obsolete. With the rollout of AI Overviews, the challenge is now to get AI-generated responses to choose your company.

The difference is fundamental: in the previous system, a company could settle for being in the top 2 or 3 and still get a fair amount of traffic. In the AI local pack, you’re first (or second with a bit of luck), or you don’t appear at all. And with only 1 to 2 companies displayed, there’s also no room for error.

So, will views drop?

If the local pack were to disappear, as seems to be the case in the United States, will Google listing views be affected? Will we witness a drastic drop in the number of views? 

Don’t worry, this decline doesn’t necessarily mean that your local strategy has failed!

Exploratory queries (i.e. those where the user is still in the discovery phase) would effectively be “absorbed” by the predominant AI Overviews, greatly reducing the Google listing views of lower-ranked profiles. On the other hand, users searching beyond AI Overviews’ results are those who have a specific intent and are in action mode. Conversions will therefore remain the same as AI would simply filter out low-quality traffic. 

Partoo’s tips for dealing with the current climate

Good news: being cited in Google’s AI local pack isn’t just reserved for big names! But it does require focusing on the right signals. 

1) Structure your content using Schema Markups

Google needs to understand exactly what your company does, where it operates, and why it’s a source of authority before AI Overviews will display it. So you should integrate a well-optimised store locator with Schema tags into your website so it sends structured information to a search engine.

In practical terms, this requires several types of markups that complement each other:

• Detailed service pages with a “Service” tag that describes each proposed service: geographical area covered, rates (if possible), precise description…
• The FAQ tag, so you can embed questions and answers into your page’s code that AI can then use in its answers.
• The review tag, which tells Google that you have customer reviews and ratings displayed on your site.

In addition to technical markups, you should also think about consolidating your content: rather than having tons of pages dealing with the same topic in a fragmented way, group them into one comprehensive and well-structured page. AI prefers sources that cover a topic in depth rather than those that briefly mention it in multiple places.

2) Boost your Google Business Profile presence

While AI Overviews seems to herald the end of the local pack as we know it, it’s not the end of the line for Google Business Profiles. Quite the opposite, in fact! The data in your GBP listing will be automatically fed into AI-generated responses. So, an incomplete or obsolete listing won’t help you appear in GenAI results.

Make sure the following are kept in check:

• Up-to-date NAP (Name, Address, Phone): any inconsistency between your Google listing and other platforms may reduce your appearance in GenAI snippets.
• Recent, good-quality photos: they will up your credibility with algorithms.
• Verified address: an unverified listing is much less likely to be highlighted.
• Frequency of reviews: regular and recent reviews have become a ranking powerhouse: their frequency is as important as the total number!

The above is exactly where Partoo can help local businesses by centralising listing management, ensuring consistent information across all channels, and facilitating daily review collection!