Google knowledge panel: what it is and what happens to it now that AI is here

What is a Google knowledge panel?

It's the box that appears when you search for a company, a well-known person or a place. On desktop it sits to the right of the results; on mobile, at the top. It sums up who they are, what they do, their website, social profiles and a few key facts.

Nobody writes it by hand. According to Google, it's generated automatically from several websites and updates when that information changes. That's why it can hold old or incomplete details without the company knowing.

Don't confuse it with a Business Profile. A Business Profile is the listing for businesses with premises or a service area, showing opening hours, reviews and directions. That one you manage yourself on Google.

Where does Google get the knowledge panel's information?

Google blends several web sources. For topics such as film or music, it also works with partners that provide reliable data. And whoever appears in the panel can suggest changes once they're verified.

For brands, this means the panel depends heavily on what others say. An encyclopedia, a LinkedIn profile or a news story weighs as much as your own website.

Why does it matter now that Google uses AI summaries for brand searches?

Because AI is taking the panel's spot. According to Search Engine Roundtable (2 November 2026), Google now shows many brands' AI summary in the right-hand column, where the panel was. Experts saw it in the US and Google hasn't announced it as a general change.

Those summaries are also showing up more and more. According to Ahrefs, at the end of September 2026 they appeared on 83% of brand searches on Google US. In its sample of 100 brands, almost 3 in 4 external links in the summary went to Wikipedia.

At Garcai we think this doesn't make the panel useless: it turns it into one of the sources AI reads. If your details are right there, the summary is more likely to be right too. We explain it step by step in how to check the AI Overviews for brand searches.

How do you claim your brand's knowledge panel?

If you appear in a panel or officially represent that company, you can ask Google to verify you. These are the basic steps:

1. Search for your brand on Google and check whether the option to claim the panel appears below it.
2. Follow Google's verification process. It will ask you to prove your link to the brand, for example through your official profiles.
3. Once verified, suggest changes to any wrong details: description, website, social profiles or image.
4. If the option doesn't appear, check again later. According to Google, not every panel can be claimed yet.

Meanwhile, look after the sources Google reads: your ‘About us’ page, your social profiles and any listing in well-known directories. Making them all say the same thing is the best way to get the panel right.

Common mistakes with the knowledge panel

• Confusing it with the Business Profile and looking for where to edit it in your business dashboard.
• Thinking you can write it by hand: Google generates it from other websites.
• Having different details on your website, social media and directories. Google and its AI blend those sources.
• Checking it once and forgetting about it, now that Google often changes what it shows for your brand.

At Garcai we recommend checking it once a month, together with what AI says about your brand. And if you want AI to cite you when people ask about your sector, see our guide to showing up in ChatGPT.