Google Enhances Visibility of News Links in AI-Powered Search Results

Google announced on Thursday that it will start showing links to websites and articles more clearly and higher in search results that use artificial intelligence (AI). This change comes as brands and news publishers report a significant drop in their website traffic.

The company, which is part of Alphabet, has been adding more AI features to its search results for over two years. In May 2024, Google introduced AI Overviews, which provide summarized answers to search queries instead of just links. Then, in March 2025, it launched AI Mode, which opens in a separate window and offers more detailed answers and additional links compared to AI Overviews.

Now, Google plans to feature contextual links more often and in higher positions within AI-generated search results. It will also expand its link carousel globally. This carousel displays cards with headlines and images for relevant articles right below the AI Overviews.

The new algorithm will prioritize articles from websites that users have marked as their preferred sources. It will also include content from relevant social media posts and forums. Additionally, links shown at the end of AI-generated summaries will be made more engaging and noticeable for users who wish to explore further.

During a financial report in the second quarter of 2025, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai mentioned that AI Overviews had over two billion monthly users across more than 200 countries. However, studies indicate that switching to AI summaries has led to a decline in the number of users clicking on suggested links. A report from consultancy Chartbeat revealed that news publishers experienced a 40% drop in traffic from Google between July 2025 and July 2026.

In August, a group representing daily newspapers in France, called Apig, informed the Competition Authority that these AI summaries might violate agreements made with news publishers in 2022.