Google Updates AI Overviews to Surface More Links

Google has announced significant updates to its AI-powered search features, AI Overviews and AI Mode, in an effort to enhance user experience and transparency. The new changes will integrate more inline links within AI-generated responses, making it easier for users to find original sources and additional information.

The company also plans to test dedicated sections for official websites. These sections will provide context and rationale for why each source might be useful to the user. Furthermore, Google's AI features will see expanded news carousels, extending their reach to more countries and languages. Image thumbnails will also be added to links within some AI responses.

The updates come at a time when the search engine giant faces increasing scrutiny regarding AI's impact on web content consumption. A Pew Research Center study indicated that Google users are less likely to click on links when AI summaries appear in search results. Additionally, European publishers have filed an antitrust complaint with the EU concerning the impact of the AI Overviews feature on independent publishers.

Google had already expanded AI Overviews to over 200 countries and territories by May 2025. AI Mode has also become available in more languages and regions. With these latest updates, Google aims to balance the efficiency of AI with support for the web content ecosystem.