Google has announced plans to make website links more visible inside its AI-generated results.
On Tuesday, Robby Stein, the vice president of Google Search, explained that in a major overhaul, the links will now appear inside a pop-up.
For instance, when users search something, the source citations will be displayed in “pop-up card style”, showing the article headline, a brief description, and a preview image. The feature mirrors social media previews.
The update also introduces “hover previews” on desktop, and redesigns more descriptive link icons for mobile interface, ensuring the high visibility of sources.
The recent move on the part of Google comes amid the publishers’ mounting pressure who claim that AI-generated results and summaries “cannibalize” web traffic.
AI-powered search results deliver answers directly on the search page, allowing the users to skim the information without opening a relevant link or original content. As a result, publishers and content creators suffer from revenue loss.
In response to the cannibalization debate, Stein comes up with a new explanation, citing the new UI makes it easier to access “great content” instead of hiding it under the piles of AI-powered results, such as AI Overview & AI Mode.
"Our testing shows this new UI is more engaging, making it easier to get great content across the web," Stein wrote.
In spite of facing pressure from publishers’ side, Google is also under fire on multiple fronts.
For instance, the competition between OpenAI and the tech giant is on the rise as the ChatGPT maker is developing its own search products to rival the tech giant.
Moreover, various AI platforms, including Google’s, are under scrutiny as the US and European regulators raise concerns over their use.