Short answer: On October 15, 2026, Google announced that AI Mode and AI Overviews will show more links to websites: inline links placed higher in answers, a test of official-source sections for task-based questions, news carousels in more countries and languages, related articles with thumbnails, and clickable creator names in AI Mode videos. Google did not publish click data, so the practical goal for businesses is to be the clearest, most quotable source on the questions your buyers ask.
By Garry Grant, CEO of SEO Inc. Updated October 21, 2026. Every fact below links to its source.
What Google changed in AI Mode and AI Overviews
Google’s announcement, written by Hema Budaraju, VP of Product Management for Search, lists five ways AI answers will point people to the web.
1. More inline links, higher up
Links inside the text of AI responses now appear more often and earlier in the answer. Search Engine Land reports this applies to both AI Overviews and AI Mode.
2. Official sources at the top (test)
For tasks that only one or two official sites can complete, such as applying for something or checking a policy, Google is testing a section at the top that lists those sites and explains why each is useful.
3. News carousels in more places
Article carousels for timely queries are expanding to more locations and languages, and they highlight the searcher’s Preferred Sources.
4. Related articles with thumbnails
Links listed at the end of some AI responses now show image thumbnails in what Google calls a more clickable design.
5. Clickable creator names (AI Mode test)
Creator and publisher names on video results in AI Mode now link to Google Search profiles, not to the creator’s own website.
What Google did not say
There is no device scope, no exact rollout date by country, no size for the inline-link increase and no click-through data for any of the new links.
The numbers Google shared, and the ones it did not
The only hard figure in the announcement is that Preferred Sources usage has grown by more than 7x since the start of the year. Google did not give the starting baseline or define what counts as usage.
Google described a “continued and substantial” increase in inline links without a number. It also did not publish clicks or click-through rates for any of the new formats. Search Console’s generative AI reporting shows impressions, not clicks, and Search Engine Journal notes that every link in an AI Overview is reported at the same position, so a link moving higher in the answer will not change its reported position.
| Question | What is known (Oct 21, 2026) |
|---|---|
| Which surfaces? | AI Mode and AI Overviews (inline links); official-source section is a test |
| Which countries? | Not specified, except carousels expanding to “additional locations and languages” |
| Click data? | None published |
| Creator profiles? | US, Canada and India; creators 18+ with 10K+ followers (per Google’s help page as reported by SEJ) |
Industry reaction was cautious. Asked whether publishers will get more clicks, Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz wrote: “I suspect not.”
Where ads now appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode
Links are not the only thing moving into AI answers. Google’s Ads Help page confirms ads can show above or below AI Overviews in all AI Overview markets, and inside AI Overviews in English in the US, Canada, Australia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Singapore.
- Eligible campaigns: text and Shopping ads from Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns.
- No opt-out: advertisers cannot target or exclude AI Overview placements.
- Excluded categories: ads do not show inside AI Overviews for adult, alcohol, gambling, finance, healthcare and politics.
- AI Mode: Search Engine Land describes a mix of tests and pilots, including existing text and Shopping ads, Conversational Discovery ads and Direct Offers, with no separate AI Mode campaign type and no AI Mode-only reporting.
For advertisers, that means AI placements are earned through the quality of your existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns. Our PPC management team keeps feeds, broad-match coverage and Smart Bidding signals ready for these placements.
How to earn links in AI Mode and AI Overviews
Own the official answer
Make your pricing, hours, policies, product specs and how-to-apply pages the clearest version on the web. The new official-source section is built for exactly these tasks.
Write quotable sentences
Inline links attach to words and phrases. Put specific, self-contained facts in single sentences so an AI answer can cite one line from your page.
Ask readers to prefer you
If you publish timely content, invite readers to add your site as a Preferred Source. Carousels now highlight those sources.
Use strong lead images
Related-article links now show thumbnails, so a clear, relevant image helps your link stand out.
Two more steps matter for businesses with video: creators with 10K+ followers in the US, Canada or India should set up a Google Search profile, because AI Mode now links creator names there. And because Google has not published click data, track AI impressions in Search Console alongside analytics referrals instead of assuming more links means more traffic.
This is the core of AI SEO: being the most accurate, most specific source on the questions your buyers ask. It is also built into our professional SEO services.
AI Mode and AI Overviews links FAQ
What did Google change in AI Mode on October 15, 2026?
Google announced five changes: more inline links placed higher in AI responses, a test of an official-sources section for task-based queries, news carousels in more locations and languages, related-article links with thumbnails, and clickable creator names on AI Mode video results that open Google Search profiles.
Will the new AI Mode links send more traffic to websites?
Google has not published click or click-through data for the new links, so the traffic effect is unknown. Search Engine Land’s Barry Schwartz said he suspects publishers will not see more clicks. Measure your own AI impressions in Search Console and referrals in analytics before drawing conclusions.
How much has Preferred Sources usage grown?
Google says Preferred Sources usage has grown by more than 7x since the start of 2026. Google did not give the starting number or define what counts as usage.
How do I get my website linked in AI Overviews?
Publish the clearest, most specific answer to the questions your buyers ask, written in self-contained sentences that can be quoted. Keep official pages such as pricing, policies and specs accurate, use structured data that matches visible content, and make sure the pages are crawlable and indexed.
Can I run ads inside AI Overviews?
Yes, in eligible markets. Ads from Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns can show inside AI Overviews in English in the US and 11 other countries, and above or below AI Overviews in all AI Overview markets. Advertisers cannot target or opt out of the placement, and some categories such as finance and healthcare are excluded.
Is there a separate campaign type for Google AI Mode ads?
No. Search Engine Land reports there is no separate AI Mode campaign; ads come from existing Search, Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, and AI Mode performance cannot be isolated in reporting.
Sources
- Google: More ways to connect with the web from Search (Oct 15, 2026)
- Search Engine Land: Google updates AI Mode and AI Overview with more links (Oct 15, 2026)
- Search Engine Journal: Inline links move higher in AI search responses (Oct 15, 2026)
- BetaNews: Google AI Mode inline links and click data (Oct 16, 2026)
- Google Ads Help: About ads and AI Overviews
- Search Engine Land: Google AI Mode ads, everything you need to know (Oct 9, 2026)
Facts checked October 21, 2026. Figures belong to the cited publishers; where Google or OpenAI has not published a number, we say so.
Want to be the source AI answers link to?
We will review how often your pages appear in Google AI Overviews, AI Mode and ChatGPT, and show you which pages to fix first. Prefer to talk? Call 877.736.0006.
