Google has announced a significant update to its AI-driven search features, aiming to make links more noticeable. Robby Stein, the vice president of Google Search, revealed that users will now see a list of links in a pop-up format when hovering over sources in AI Overviews and AI Mode on desktop. This pop-up will include a brief description of each linked article, accompanied by images.
Stein emphasized that Google will introduce "more descriptive and prominent link icons" in its AI responses, both on desktop and mobile platforms. He noted that initial testing indicates this new user interface is more engaging, facilitating easier access to valuable content across the web.
AI Overviews provide users with an AI-generated summary at the top of search results, while AI Mode offers a chatbot-like experience for information retrieval without the need to visit original sources. Google continues to expand these features, despite discussions surrounding the impact of AI search results on traffic to news publishers and other websites. The company has defended its Search modifications while acknowledging the challenges faced by the open web.
In response to concerns, the European Commission began investigating Google's AI search functionalities last year, particularly regarding the use of digital publishers' content in AI responses without proper compensation. Google has expressed its intention to explore options for publishers to opt out of AI search features and has begun linking to additional sources in AI Mode.
