Google is updating AI Search so people can dive deeper into the web from their answers. The push comes as users turn to tools that give them more choice: the number of people who use Google's Preferred Sources feature has grown by more than 7x since the start of the year. The changes cover inline links, official web pages, news carousels, related-article links, and creator profiles.
Inline links are links embedded in words or phrases in an AI response, so they let you explore a topic at the moment you're reading about it. Google says it has made continued and substantial increases to their presence in its AI experiences. It is also launching updates to show inline links higher up in responses more often, so key sources are easy to click when you need them.
Some tasks have only one or two official places on the web to complete them or to get the exact information you need. For these cases, Google will test a new display in Search AI experiences that prominently surfaces those links in a dedicated section at the top of a response. Each link comes with context about why it is useful. This builds on Google's existing practice of showing links front and center when you're looking for a particular site.
Google is also rolling out the prominent carousels that show up for timely articles in AI Search features to additional locations and languages around the world. These carousels highlight your Preferred Sources, making it easier to find coverage from the websites you value. Google says this makes timely articles more visible across a wider range of queries.
Once you have the overview of a topic, you may want to follow an interesting angle. Google is making the links it shows at the end of some AI responses more engaging and prominent, with image thumbnails and a more clickable design.
Google also started testing clickable creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode. Each name links to that creator's or publisher's Search profile, which offers a quick way to learn about them and their broader work. Eligible creators and publishers can find out more about Search profiles and how to get started through a Google support page. Google says it will keep refining these experiences based on what works best.
Key Features at a Glance
- Inline links: Continued and substantial increases in presence, with higher placement in responses more often. Key sources stay clickable right when you're reading.
- Top-of-response link section: Testing a dedicated section for the one or two official pages that matter, with context on why each is useful. It gives a faster route to the exact information or task.
- Prominent carousels: Timely-article carousels are rolling out to more locations and languages and highlight Preferred Sources. Coverage from sites you value is easier to find.
- Thumbnail related links: Image thumbnails and a more clickable design at the end of some AI responses. It's an easier way to explore angles after the overview.
- Clickable creator names: Testing links from video results in AI Mode to Search profiles. You get more context on a creator's broader work before you watch.
Availability
Google did not give a specific date for these updates. The top-of-response link section and the clickable creator and publisher names are in testing. The timely-article carousels are rolling out to additional locations and languages globally. Google says the inline link and related-article link updates are part of the changes it is making to AI Search.
