Google says its investments in AI are driving more searches

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Summary

Alphabet reported Q3 2026 revenue of $127.6 billion, up 25% year-over-year, with CEO Sundar Pichai saying AI investments are driving the highest search query growth rate in five years, while Google Cloud revenue surged 103% to $30.7 billion.

<figure> <img alt="An image of Sundar Pichai in front of a Google logo" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="Image: Laura Normand / The Verge" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23951561/VRG_Illo_STK179_L_Normand_SundarPichai_Neutral.jpg?quality=90&#038;strip=all&#038;crop=0,0,100,100" /> <figcaption> </figcaption> </figure> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google parent company Alphabet says that its AI investments are leading to a big growth in searches year-over-year, as noted <a href="https://s206.q4cdn.com/479360582/files/doc_financials/2026/q3/2026q3-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf">in its Q3 2026 earnings today</a>.</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">"Our AI investments are driving overall Search query growth, including commercial queries," CEO Sundar Pichai says in a statement. "In fact, our year-over-year query growth rate is the highest it's been in the last five years."</p> <p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alphabet's consolidated revenues for the quarter were $127.6 billion, up 25 percent year-over-year, with its "Google Search &amp; other" revenues up 12 percent year-over-year. Google Cloud revenue was also up 103 percent year-over-year to $30.7 billion. Alphabet also …</p> <p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1020811/alphabet-google-earnings-q3-2026">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
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# Google says its investments in AI are driving more searches Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/1020811/alphabet-google-earnings-q3-2026](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1020811/alphabet-google-earnings-q3-2026) Google’s year\-over\-year search query growth rate is ‘the highest it’s been in the last five years\.’ Google’s year\-over\-year search query growth rate is ‘the highest it’s been in the last five years\.’ by Oct 28, 2026, 8:22 PM UTC ![An image of Sundar Pichai in front of a Google logo](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23951561/VRG_Illo_STK179_L_Normand_SundarPichai_Neutral.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) ![An image of Sundar Pichai in front of a Google logo](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/chorus/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23951561/VRG_Illo_STK179_L_Normand_SundarPichai_Neutral.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=2400) Image: Laura Normand / The Verge [![Jay Peters](https://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/JAY_BLURPLE.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0%2C0%2C100%2C100&w=96)](https://www.theverge.com/authors/jay-peters) Jay Peters is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming, and more\. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme\. Google parent company Alphabet says that its AI investments are leading to a big growth in searches year\-over\-year, as noted[in its Q3 2026 earnings today](https://s206.q4cdn.com/479360582/files/doc_financials/2026/q3/2026q3-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf)\. “Our AI investments are driving overall Search query growth, including commercial queries,” CEO Sundar Pichai says in a statement\. “In fact, our year\-over\-year query growth rate is the highest it’s been in the last five years\.” Alphabet’s consolidated revenues for the quarter were $127\.6 billion, up 25 percent year\-over\-year, with its “Google Search & other” revenues up 12 percent year\-over\-year\. Google Cloud revenue was also up 103 percent year\-over\-year to $30\.7 billion\. Alphabet also says it passed 150 million YouTube Music and Premium subscribers globally, though that figure includes trials\. The earnings follow a packed quarter for Google, including the announcement of its[Gemini 4 Argon](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1002980/google-gemini-4-argon)frontier model \(which it[released widely this month](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1009862/google-releases-gemini-4-argon)\); crossing[1 billion monthly users in Gemini](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/978113/chatgpt-gemini-1-billion-users); the reveal of the[first five Googlebook laptops](https://www.theverge.com/gadgets/997659/googlebooks-breakdown-acer-asus-hp-lenovo-dell); a[price hike for the Google TV Streamer](https://www.theverge.com/tech/987032/google-tv-streamer-price-increase); renaming[NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook](https://www.theverge.com/tech/966112/google-gemini-notebook-notebooklm); the launch of the[Pixel 11 line](https://www.theverge.com/tech/981713/google-pixel-11-pro-review)of smartphones,[the new Pixel Watch](https://www.theverge.com/tech/981957/google-pixel-watch-5-review-wearables-smartwatch), and the[forthcoming Pixel Tag](https://www.theverge.com/tech/978713/google-pixel-tag-uwb-bluetooth-channel-finding-news); and a major shakeup of its top AI leadership that included former DeepMind leader Demis Hassabis[stepping into a chair role](https://www.theverge.com/tech/975677/google-deepmind-ai-demis-hassabis-shakeup)\. **Follow topics and authors**from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates\. - Jay Peters ## The Verge Daily A free daily digest of the news that matters most\.

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