(A419) Google AI Overview for Facial Cosmetic Procedures: A Comparative Content Analysis

Introduction: Google AI Overview is a generative artificial intelligence tool that launched as an opt-out feature for United States users in May 2024 and summarizes results prominently at the top of many Google search pages. This study investigates summary contents and cited resources for search terms related to common facial cosmetic procedures.

Methods: In January 2025, we conducted an observational study of Google AI Overview summaries using medical and layperson search terms for seven facial cosmetic procedures: rhinoplasty, rhytidectomy, blepharoplasty, mentoplasty, platysmaplasty, otoplasty, and malar augmentation. Summaries were generated daily and analyzed for topics addressed as well as website types and associated subspecialties of cited resources. Differences in topics, website types, and subspecialties between search terms, procedures, and medical versus layperson terms were compared using Pearson’s χ2 test and analysis of variance.

Results: Summaries contained an average of 4.48 topics generated from 6.11 sources. The most common topics addressed were benefits (1.10 appearances per summary), surgical details (0.90), and expectations for recovery (0.76). Inclusion of cost, associated procedures, and use of academic versus private practice websites was observed more often with medical terms, while pre-surgical considerations, surgical details, and recovery information were more common with layperson terms. Overall, plastic surgery resources were cited more often than otolaryngology resources, with a greater difference observed when using medical search terms. Multiple summaries specifically noted that plastic surgeons or oral maxillofacial surgeons could perform the queried procedure. Of note, no otolaryngology society webpage was ever cited.

Conclusions: Google AI Overview is prominently displayed at the top of many Google search results. While these summaries use multiple sources to review subjects related to facial cosmetic surgery, their use of otolaryngology and facial plastic society guidelines remains lacking, and their contents underrepresent otolaryngology as a whole.