Google is introducing changes to how websites, news articles and content creators appear in its AI-powered search results. The updates will make inline links more prominent in AI Mode and AI Overviews, expand news carousels featuring users’ Preferred Sources, and introduce new ways to access official websites and publisher profiles.
The changes could affect how Canadian publishers, businesses and content creators attract visitors through Google Search as the company continues developing its artificial intelligence features.
Google Moves Inline Links Higher in AI Search Results
Google announced five updates aimed at improving how users discover external websites through AI-generated search responses.
Hema Budaraju, Google’s Vice-President of Product Management, outlined the changes in a company blog post.
According to Google, the company has “made continued and substantial increases to the presence of inline links” across its AI-powered search experiences.
These links, which direct users to websites supporting information presented in AI responses, will appear higher in the generated text more frequently.
Google has not disclosed the percentage increase in inline links or provided detailed figures showing how often the revised placement will appear.
Official Website Links to Receive Greater Visibility
Google is also testing a new section that places links to official websites at the beginning of certain AI-generated responses.
The feature will focus on task-related searches where only one or two authoritative sources provide the relevant information.
In these situations, Google intends to display official website links near the top of the response, accompanied by explanations of why those sources are useful.
The company is also updating links displayed at the end of some AI responses by adding image thumbnails and revised visual layouts intended to encourage users to explore related content.
Google Expands Preferred Sources News Carousels
Another significant change involves Google’s Preferred Sources feature, which allows users to select news organizations and websites they want to see more frequently in search results.
Google is expanding carousels featuring timely articles from Preferred Sources into additional countries and languages.
The company has not identified which markets or languages will receive the expanded feature.
The carousels are designed to highlight articles from selected publishers when users search for developing stories or other timely subjects.
Preferred Sources Adoption Increases
Google reported that the number of people using Preferred Sources has grown to more than seven times its level at the beginning of 2026.
However, the company did not provide total user figures or explain how it calculated the increase.
For Canadian news publishers, broader availability could create additional opportunities to reach readers who have identified their websites as preferred sources of information.
Google’s documentation indicates that websites must meet the applicable eligibility requirements for its generative AI search features to qualify for Preferred Sources visibility in AI Mode and AI Overviews.
Publishers can also use Google’s designated button or direct link to encourage readers to add their websites as Preferred Sources.
AI Mode Tests Search Profile Links for Publishers and Creators
Google has begun testing clickable creator and publisher names within video results displayed in AI Mode.
Selecting a name will direct users to the associated Google Search profile.
Search profiles, introduced earlier in 2026, bring together material from individual creators and publishers, including articles, videos and social media content.
The profiles are intended to help users discover additional work from a particular source without conducting separate searches.
Search Profiles Available to Eligible Canadian Creators
According to Google’s support documentation reviewed on October 15, Search profiles are available to eligible creators and publishers in Canada, the United States and India.
Applicants must have at least 10,000 followers on a supported platform, including YouTube, Instagram, X or TikTok.
A Search profile must also be established through a Google Account belonging to someone aged 18 or older.
Before the latest AI Mode test, Google identified knowledge panels and Discover as locations where users could encounter Search profiles.
The company’s support documentation had not yet listed AI Mode as an additional discovery location when reviewed on October 15.
What Google’s AI Search Changes Mean for SEO and Publishers
The changes are relevant to website owners monitoring search visibility, referral traffic and reader engagement.
Moving inline links higher within AI-generated responses may make individual sources easier to discover. However, improved placement does not necessarily translate into a better reported ranking in Google Search Console.
Google currently assigns links within an AI Overview the same search-result position associated with that overview.
Consequently, repositioning a link within the generated response does not independently change its recorded position in Search Console.
For Canadian publishers, Preferred Sources may provide another way to maintain visibility among returning readers, particularly as AI-generated summaries become more prominent in search results.
The updates also reinforce the importance of maintaining accessible, informative website content that can be identified and referenced by Google’s search systems.
Google Continues Testing New AI Search Features
Google has not announced when its official website link section or AI Mode Search profile links will become widely available.
The expansion of Preferred Sources carousels is beginning, although availability will vary by market and language.
For Canadian news organizations, businesses and digital publishers, the developments represent another change in how audiences may discover online information. Their practical effect on website traffic will depend on how broadly Google deploys the features and how users interact with the revised search results.
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