Google is experimenting with moving AI Overview citations from the right rail to a new card stack at the bottom of the desktop result. The shift, spotted during a live test, removes the side panel and gives the inline answer cleaner margins while reserving a dedicated block beneath the response for sources. Readers who want to check a fact no longer have to glance sideways; the supporting links sit right under the generated answer, where the next click feels closer to the content above it.
What changed in the layout
The current test shows citation cards stacked beneath the AI Overview on desktop, rather than running down the right side of the answer. The right-hand citation area has been deleted from this view. A “show more” control then expands a full list of citation links at the bottom of the response.
Inline links inside the answer still behave as before: hovering surfaces a preview, and clicking jumps through. The visual difference is the secondary citation surface, which moves from the right edge to a block under the answer. That block can then be displayed fully to reveal more citation links.
How the bottom layout looks next to the right-side design
Side-by-side comparisons make the difference clear. In the existing design, citation cards sit in a vertical strip on the right of the AI Overview. With the strip removed in the new test, those cards move to a stacked block beneath the response, leaving the inline answer in clean margins.
The earlier side-by-side view:
- Citation cards: a vertical strip on the right of the AI Overview.
- Expand step: one click on “show more” widens the side panel to show more citation links.
The new bottom test:
- Citation cards: a stacked block beneath the response, with the right rail removed.
- Expand step: a “show more” control surfaces a fuller list of citation links at the bottom.
Why this test is worth watching
This is the third time a bottom-stacked citation layout has surfaced. It ran in September of 2025, then again in March of 2026, and now in late September 2026. Each pass refines the design. This new one is a nicer variation of the earlier tests.
One practical detail affects how visible the citations are. If the user never clicks “show more”, the bottom area could look empty, leaving only the small link icons embedded in the AI response. Google can also expand the bottom block automatically, in which case the citations appear right away. The default state of the expand control is therefore a key design choice in this round.
What it could mean for sites cited in AI Overviews
The location of the citation block changes which links catch the eye. Cards sitting under the answer sit closer to the next scroll point and read as part of the response. The inline links keep their hover behavior, but the larger citation area beneath the answer could draw more attention. For any site that gets cited by AI Overviews, the move is worth tracking because click-through to sources depends on how visible and tempting the citation surface feels next to the generated text.
How to track when citation engines actually appear on your pages
Tools that map how a page shows up inside AI answers are useful for catching layout changes like this. AI visibility tracking reports whether a domain is cited by AI engines and which queries surface it. Rank position across a service area is what a geo grid report shows, and SEOScanPro‘s GEO Grids do this.
FAQ
Where are citations appearing in the new Google AI Overview test?
Citations are appearing as a stacked block at the bottom of the AI Overview on desktop, with the right-side citation bar removed. A “show more” control expands the block to display more citation links.
How many times has Google tested bottom citations in AI Overviews?
At least three times. Bottom-stacked citations were tested in September 2025, then again in March 2026, and the latest test was spotted in late September 2026.
Do the inline links still work in the bottom-citation layout?
Yes. Inline links inside the AI Overview still support hover and click as in the standard layout. The new test only relocates the secondary citation cards; it does not change how the inline links behave.
Try the AI visibility report
The AI visibility report runs a full technical audit of a site and shows the measured result behind every check. Open the AI visibility report.
This article summarizes reporting from seroundtable.com.