Google Makes Inline Links More Prominent in AI Responses

According to a blog post, Google is updating its AI search results so that inline links appear "more in responses." The company's search results from AI Overviews and AI Mode present answers in a custom view rather than a traditional list of links, but concerns remain that the format […]

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In Google AI mode and AI reviews, links appear more often in answers.

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is a senior reporter covering technology, gaming and more. He joined The Verge in 2019 after nearly two years at Techmeme.

According to a blog post, Google is updating its AI search results so that inline links appear "more in answers." The company's search results from AI reviews and AI mode give you answers in a custom view instead of a traditional list of links, but there are concerns that this format will reduce traffic for publishers. Google says it's steadily increasing the presence of inline links in our AI experiences, and this new change helps ensure that key resources are easily clickable when you need them.

Google says it will link to more resources in AI mode

Google's AI search results make links clearer

Google's AI mode update allows you to open links without leaving the page

The company is announcing several other changes to highlight links and publishers in its AI results. For sites that are among multiple sites for a specific task or information—an example image from Google highlights a query about an airline refund—Google is experimenting with displaying relevant links above a contextual answer. For "timely" articles, the company is now rolling out the link rings announced in May to more locations and languages. Google makes links at the end of a query "more attractive and prominent, with thumbnails and a more clickable design." And now it's testing clickable links in AI mode to search for publisher and creator profiles.

Image from Google showing links to a refund request. Image: Google

Google also says more than 400 publishers are participating in the "News AI" pilot program it announced in December. According to Google, the licensing program pays publishers to "deliver and use advanced content to develop new AI features," including "article overviews on Google News publisher pages," and Axios, CNN, and the Financial Times are among the partners that have recently entered the market.

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