Google makes inline links more prominent in AI search responses

Google is pushing more clickable sources into AI Overviews and AI Mode, which should make it easier to reach publishers from search results.

Google is changing its AI search products so inline links show up more often and higher in responses, a shift that matters for publishers and anyone relying on search traffic. It says the goal is to make key sources easier to click inside AI Overviews and AI Mode, and it is also testing more prominent treatment for links that are especially relevant to a query. The company is rolling out link carousels for timely articles to more places and languages, and it is updating end-of-response links with thumbnails and a more clickable layout. Google is also testing clickable links from AI Mode to publisher and creator search profiles, while its News AI pilot has grown to more than 400 publishers and now includes Axios, CNN, and the Financial Times.