Google introduces a new link format for AI Overviews

Publishers remain concerned about the impact of AI-generated summaries on their content

Highlights:

• Users can now find direct links to related web pages within AI Overviews, enhancing accessibility to information.
• While Google claims the update drives traffic for publishers, concerns about potential drops in organic search traffic remain.

Google is rolling out an update to its AI Overviews feature in all seven countries where it’s available including the UK, India, and Japan. This update allows users to access links to relevant web pages directly within the AI Overviews text.

Back in August, Google added links to AI Overviews, claiming it will provide quick access to related websites. These links are displayed on the right-hand side for desktop users and accessed through site icons on mobile devices.

According to Google, the inclusion of links in AI-generated summaries is driving traffic for publishers. However, publishers remain worried about the effect of AI-generated summaries on their content. Google’s AI Overviews could decrease publisher traffic by as much as 25%, as users may find direct answers without the need to click through to the original articles. This could potentially cut ad revenue by up to $2 billion annually, according to AdWeek.

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