Google is repositioning inline links to appear higher and more frequently in its AI-generated search responses, the company announced in a blog post reported by The Verge.
The shift addresses publisher concerns that AI Overviews and AI Mode, which deliver customized answers instead of traditional link lists, reduce traffic to news sites and other content creators. Google states it has made "continued and substantial increases to the presence of inline links in our AI experiences" and says the new placement will help users find "key sources easily clickable right when you need them."
The update includes several related changes. Google is testing a format that places relevant links at the top of responses for queries about specialized tasks or information, using an airline refund example. The company is expanding link carousels, first announced in May, to cover timely articles across more locations and languages. Links appearing at the end of queries now receive "more engaging and prominent" treatment with image thumbnails and improved clickability. Google is also testing clickable publisher and creator profile links within AI Mode.
The changes come as Google expands its "News AI" pilot program, a licensing scheme that pays publishers for "the delivery and use of enhanced content to develop new AI features." More than 400 publishers now participate, according to Google. Recent additions include Axios, CNN, and the Financial Times, which will receive compensation for "in-depth article overviews on Google News publisher pages."
The initiative reflects pressure from publishers worried that AI-generated summaries diminish incentive for users to click through to original reporting. By making source links more visible and accessible within AI responses, Google seeks to balance its own search product with the business model concerns of content providers who worry their traffic and revenue will decline as users rely on AI summaries instead of visiting their sites directly.