Google to cite more sources in AI Overviews
▼ Summary
– Google is adding a “Further Exploration” section at the bottom of AI Overviews and AI Mode, featuring bullet-point links to relevant articles and analysis.
– AI Overviews may now include an “Expert Advice” section with snippets from web content, news, reviews, and social media discussions, each with a link to the full source.
– Google is increasing the number of links within AI answers, appearing as small pills at the end of paragraphs that list the sources used.
– Hovering over links in AI Overviews and AI Mode will show a pop-up with more information about the linked site before clicking.
– These changes come as websites, displaced from the top of search results by AI Overviews, have blamed the feature for traffic drops.
The prime real estate at the top of Google’s search results has largely been occupied by AI Overviews for the past two years. While websites have spent countless hours optimizing for traditional Google search, many have found themselves pushed down the page by a chatbot, leading some to blame AI Overviews for recent traffic declines. Google isn’t admitting any fault, but it is introducing several updates designed to place more direct links to websites within its AI-generated answers.
According to Google, many AI Overviews are intended to be “just the beginning of exploring a topic you’re interested in.” To support that idea, both AI Overviews and AI Mode will soon feature a new section at the bottom called “Further Exploration.” This box will present relevant articles and analysis in a bullet-point list, linking out to content that expands on the user’s original query. For example, a search for “urban green spaces” might produce suggested links to specific projects in New York and Singapore. This is also where users may encounter the “bait questions” commonly seen at the end of AI outputs.
In a similar vein, AI Overviews will now include a section of “Expert Advice,” offering snippets of content from around the web that are directly relevant to the search. This could include news articles, reviews, and even discussions from public forums and social media. Each entry will include a clickable link, allowing users to “jump to the full conversation.”
Google also promises that AI answers will contain more links overall. These will continue to appear as small pills at the end of paragraphs. Clicking on them will reveal a list of sources that supposedly formed the foundation of the AI output. Additionally, hovering over links within AI Overviews and AI Mode will trigger a pop-up that provides more information about the site before a user decides to click.
(Source: Ars Technica)
