Google is delving into incorporating link indicators within AI Overviews to show sources for claims made by AI Answers. When you click these links, you’ll be directed to an overlay window that mimics a search result page, rather than taking you directly to the source. Instead, you’ll see a snippet similar to what you’d encounter in search results.
Glenn Gabe has also noted this development, though I’m having trouble recreating it myself. He shared screenshots on X and provided an explanation of how it functions. According to him, this feature is available in “non-labs accounts.” He observed that the top area is populated with small favicons (reminiscent of Perplexity). By tapping the overflow menu, you can view all these links in a dropdown. Additionally, the AI overview’s link symbols are actual link icons, and tapping on one reveals all the associated links for that segment of the answer in an overlay.
Here are his screenshots of this:
After you click on them, you see the below:
This brings to mind the early experiments with how Google SGE showcased links. Also, let’s not overlook the Google Testing AI Overview cards featured prominently at the top.
Glenn noted this morning that this method presents a fantastic opportunity to integrate advertisements within the AI Overviews:
Lily Ray also spotted this:
We admire how Google is experimenting with techniques to direct people to the source of the AI Overviews remarks, but I’m concerned about where this may lead.
Forum discussions based on this can be found on X below: