Google will increase the visibility of links in AI search after complaints from publications

Google Boosts Visibility of External Links in AI Search Results

Robby Stein, Google’s Vice President for Search, announced that links to third‑party sites appearing in the results when using artificial intelligence features will be made more prominent.

How the New Link Presentation Will Look
* Hovering over sources in the “AI Reviews” and “AI Mode” sections will display a pop‑up with additional article description and its accompanying image.
* On desktop, Google will show “more detailed and noticeable link icons” both in AI answers and on mobile devices.
* Stein noted: “Our testing shows that the new user interface is more appealing and simplifies finding great content on the web.”

What Are “AI Reviews” and “AI Mode”
Section Description
AI Reviews A block above the main results containing an AI‑generated summary of data and materials.
AI Mode An advanced mode that allows users to search for information in a chatbot without navigating to external sources.

Google continues to develop these features despite backlash from site owners: many fear that AI search reduces traffic to news and other sites. The search giant claims that the traditional open internet is experiencing a “rapid decline.”

Regulatory Context
Last year, the European Commission launched an investigation into Google over potential harm to website owners’ businesses: content may appear in AI summaries without proper compensation for publishers. In response, the company said it would consider excluding such resources from its AI search services and is already strengthening “AI Mode” with links to original sources.