Google Updates AI Mode and AI Overviews to Surface Links and Sources
In an official blog post on 15 October 2026 Google announced updates across AI Search: more inline links placed higher in AI responses, a test that surfaces official website links in a dedicated section at the top of a response, news carousels rolling out to more locations and languages with Preferred Sources highlighted, related-article links with image thumbnails, and clickable creator names on video results that open Search profiles
Tool Overview
Details, capabilities and usage guidance
Features
- ✓ More inline links, higher up: Google says inline links are embedded in words or phrases in an AI response so you can dive deeper the moment you read about something, and that it has made continued and substantial increases to their presence while showing them higher up in responses more frequently so key sources stay clickable when you need them
- ✓ A dedicated test for official websites: Google says sometimes there are only one or two official places on the web to complete a task or get the exact information, so it is testing a display that surfaces those links prominently in a dedicated section at the top of a response along with context about why each link is useful
- ✓ News carousels go global: Google says it is starting to roll out the prominent carousels used for timely articles in AI Search features to additional locations and languages, with the carousels highlighting your Preferred Sources so coverage from the sites you value shows up on a wider range of queries
- ✓ Related-article links get more prominent: Google says it is making the links shown at the end of some AI responses more engaging and prominent with image thumbnails and a more clickable design, so that after getting the lay of the land you can follow your curiosity deeper
- ✓ Creator and publisher names become clickable: Google says it began testing this week clickable creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode that link directly to their Search profiles, and says the number of people using Preferred Sources has grown by more than 7x since the start of the year
How to Use
- Open AI Mode or an AI Overview in Google Search and look for the inline links embedded in the response text, which Google says are now more numerous and placed higher up
- If you are trying to do something with a clear official destination, such as recovering an account or checking a rule, watch for the dedicated official-websites section at the top of the response and read the context Google gives for each link
- Add the sites you trust to Preferred Sources: Google says usage of the feature has grown more than 7x since the start of the year, and the news carousels highlight the sources you pick
- Click a creator or publisher name on video results to open their Search profile and judge the source before going further, and remember these updates roll out gradually, so not seeing them yet does not mean your settings are wrong
FAQ
What changed in this update?
Google lists several changes: more inline links placed higher in AI responses; a test of a dedicated section for official website links with context; news carousels expanding to more locations and languages with Preferred Sources highlighted; related-article links made more prominent with thumbnails; and clickable creator names on AI Mode video results that open their profiles.
Why is Google making these changes?
Google frames the changes as making exploring the web simpler, more visual and more engaging. It is worth noting that more inline links come at a time when AI answers are criticised for pulling traffic away from websites; Google's own wording is that key sources remain clickable right when you need them.
What is Preferred Sources?
Google says Preferred Sources is the feature that lets you name the sources you prefer, and that the new news carousels highlight those sources; it says the number of people using the feature has grown by more than 7x since the start of the year.
Does it apply to every region and language?
Google says it is starting to roll out the news carousels to additional locations and languages, which means a gradual rollout rather than a simultaneous global switch; other items are described as being tested or rolling out too, so what you see varies by location and language.
What does it mean for people who publish content?
Google says eligible creators and publishers can learn more about Search profiles and how to get started, since creator names on video results link to those profiles. For publishers, highlighted Preferred Sources in carousels and more inline links both add new levers for source visibility.
Does it cost anything?
The official post mentions no payment requirement, as these are updates to the search experience itself; which features you get depends on your region, language and Google's rollout pace.