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Google is adding more links to its AI answers: what changed in AI Mode and AI Overviews

The 15 October update moves source links higher in the answer, adds clickable cards, and expands news carousels to more languages.

By , Founder of TraffixNet News of Published 3 min read

In short

On 15 October 2026 Google announced a set of changes to AI answers in Search: significantly more links inside the answer text and placed higher, a trial area for official sites, clickable "go deeper" cards with thumbnails, news carousels expanding to more countries and languages, and clickable creator names in AI Mode video results. The direction is consistent - AI answers are becoming a place traffic comes from, not only a place it disappears into.

What exactly changed

The update was published by Google's VP of Product Management for Search on the official blog. Five things:

  • More links inside the answer, placed higher. Google says it has significantly increased the number of links woven into the text of AI answers.
  • An area for official sites. A trial placement at the top of the answer for cases where there are one or two official sites through which a task gets completed.
  • "Go deeper" cards with images. The links to further reading at the end of some answers get a thumbnail and a more clickable treatment.
  • New carousels in more countries and languages. Recent-article carousels are expanding, highlighting the sources behind an answer.
  • Clickable creator names. In AI Mode, Google is testing clickable creator and publisher names in video results that lead to their search profile.

One figure worth remembering: according to Google, the number of people using the preferred-sources feature has grown sevenfold since the start of the year.

What it means for businesses

AI answers are no longer only taking clicks away. They are becoming another surface traffic arrives from - which changes how you should think about being cited in one.

The official-sites area is particularly interesting for service businesses. If someone asks how to book a particular service, and Google identifies one or two official sites through which that is done, appearing there is worth considerably more than a position in the list below.

What to do now

  1. A clear answer at the top of every important page. A short paragraph that directly answers the question the page addresses. That is what AI engines prefer to quote and link to.
  2. Consistent business identity. Organization or LocalBusiness structured data on the site, and matching details in your business profile and across the web.
  3. Check the AI features report in Search Console. It shows how often links to your site were shown in AI Overviews and AI Mode. More on that report here.
  4. Publishers: the preferred-sources button. Since August 2026 Google has documented a button inviting readers to set your site as a preferred source.
  5. Creator search profiles. In September Google published guidance for adding a search-profile tag to a site. Worth having if you produce video.

Sources

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