Google makes inline links more prominent in AI responses

Google is changing how links appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, its search experiences that present answers in a customized view instead of a traditional list of links. The company says the updates will make inline links appear “higher up in responses more frequently” and help users click key sources when they need them. The changes were described in a blog post.

Google is testing links at the top of responses for some queries where only a few sites offer relevant information, with context alongside them. An example shown by Google covers a query about an airline refund. It is also rolling out link carousels for timely articles to more locations and languages; Google announced those carousels in May. Links at the end of a query will get image thumbnails and a more clickable design, and Google is testing clickable links in AI Mode to search profiles for publishers and creators.

Google says it has made “continued and substantial increases” to inline links in its AI experiences. The changes come amid concerns that AI search formats can reduce traffic to publishers.

Google also says more than 400 publishers are participating in its “News AI” pilot, announced in December. The licensing program pays publishers for the delivery and use of enhanced content to develop AI features, including in-depth article overviews on Google News publisher pages. Google says Axios, CNN, and the Financial Times are among the partners newly joining the program.