Google has announced plans to make website links and news articles more visible in its AI-powered search results. The move comes as publishers report falling website traffic due to AI-generated summaries. The company aims to help users find relevant sources more easily.
The changes will place contextual links higher in AI-generated answers and display them more frequently. Google will also expand its news link carousel worldwide. These cards appear below AI Overviews and feature headlines alongside images from relevant articles.
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Google introduced AI Overviews in May 2024, allowing users to receive summaries instead of relying solely on traditional search links. In March 2025, the company launched AI Mode, which provides more detailed responses in a separate interface. Both features have changed how users access online information.
Under the latest changes, Google will prioritise articles from websites users select as preferred sources. The system will also include relevant content from social media posts and online forums. Additionally, links appearing at the end of AI-generated summaries will become more prominent.
Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai said in 2025 that AI Overviews had attracted more than two billion monthly users across over 200 countries. However, research has raised concerns that AI-generated answers discourage users from visiting linked websites. Publishers worry that reduced clicks could affect their audience and revenue.
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A report by consultancy Chartbeat found that news publishers experienced a 40 per cent decline in traffic from Google between July 2025 and July 2026. The findings highlight the growing challenges facing news organisations as search platforms increasingly provide answers directly.
In August, France’s daily newspaper publishers’ group, Apig, raised concerns with the country’s Competition Authority. The group argued that Google’s AI summaries violated agreements reached with publishers in 2022. Google’s latest changes could improve link visibility, although their impact on publisher traffic remains uncertain.