Google said it was adding inline links, top-of-answer task links, global news carousels and more prominent related-article cards, while continuing to withhold click data from those features.
How Google changed links in AI Mode and AI Overviews
Google’s latest update increases the number and placement of links in AI answers. Some inline links now sit directly within the response, while queries with a clear next step may receive one or two links near the top. Google describes these as pages that can help complete a task or locate exact information.
Timely topics can appear in news carousels that are rolling out to more locations and languages worldwide. These carousels can highlight a searcher’s Preferred Sources. Google says the number of people using Preferred Sources to select sites they want to hear from has grown sevenfold since the beginning of the year.
The related-article area known as Dive Deeper is also getting a more prominent layout. Some links at the end of AI responses now include image thumbnails and a design intended to make them easier to click.
Google began testing another path from AI Mode video results during the week of October 15, 2026. According to Google’s announcement, “This week, we started testing clickable creator and publisher names on video results that link directly to their Search profiles in AI Mode.” These links lead to a Search profile rather than directly to a publisher’s website.
What does this mean for a site audit?
Website owners and marketers should check each placement in the new layout separately.
- Inline links embedded in the response text
- One or two task links shown near the top of an answer
- Placement in timely-topic news carousels
- Appearance in Dive Deeper with an image thumbnail
- Publisher-name links from video results to Google Search profiles
Audit the visible placements separately from ranking and traffic data.
SEOScanPro’s AI visibility tracking and AI Agent Readiness checks are relevant to this distinction because they can show whether AI systems can read a site and how its visibility is recorded. They do not supply the missing Google AI referral-click metric.
Why the missing click report limits evaluation
AI performance reports we have seen still do not provide clicks from AI Mode or AI Overviews.
Google said it is working with website owners to identify useful reporting insights.
Clicks are also the primary metric in Google Ads reporting.
What content and creator signals now receive more space?
Timely publishers may appear in expanded news carousels, while related publishers may receive thumbnail links in Dive Deeper. Eligible creators and publishers can also receive clickable names on video results in AI Mode, with the name leading to a Google Search profile.
Google said more than 400 publications worldwide participate in its News AI pilot licensing program. Under that program, Google pays for delivery and use of enhanced content to develop new AI features.
What to do now
- Record each visible placement for priority pages, including inline links, top task links, news carousels and Dive Deeper cards.
- Check whether the publisher name and creator identity shown on eligible video results match the information connected to the relevant Search profile.
- Review Search Console impressions alongside recorded AI placements.
- Run a site audit that checks whether search systems can access the pages intended for citation and referral.
- Record the update date and query for each observed placement.
FAQ
What did Google change in AI Mode and AI Overviews?
Google added more inline links, introduced a top section with one or two links for specific tasks, expanded timely-article carousels to more locations and languages, made related-article links more prominent, and began testing creator and publisher name links on video results.
Will Google show click data for AI Mode and AI Overviews?
Not yet. Google says it is “continuing to work with website owners to understand what insights will be most helpful to inform their strategies” and will “introduce additional metrics over time.”
How much has Preferred Sources usage grown?
Google says the number of people who have used Preferred Sources to select sites they want to hear from has grown sevenfold since the beginning of the year.
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