Google is taking another step in enhancing its AI-powered search features with the rollout of links in AI Overviews. This new update will enable users to navigate between topics and discover more relevant content, directly from the overview text generated by the AI.

Google initially announced the test in August 2024. The integration of links within AI Overviews is now fully open to users. According to Search Engine Land, Google is adding links to certain terms within the AI responses. These links appear when Google’s system determines that users will benefit from more in-depth information available through third-party websites. 

Similar to the existing “People also search for” feature, this new functionality aims to guide users to additional resources they may find helpful. 

When a user encounters a linked term in an AI Overview, clicking on it will trigger a new Google search. The links will be added directly in the AI Overviews’ text, both at the beginning and within the main content. Google has also added smaller icons next to these links that open a side panel, which houses external links to publishers and third-party websites.

The company claims that this feature has already proven helpful in its testing, and it’s being actively expanded. Currently, the rollout is live in English for users in the U.S., accessible on both mobile and desktop devices. 

Google has now extended the availability of AI Overviews to more than 100 countries worldwide, with the feature recently launching in nine European Union countries.

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