Quick answer: Google has started adding links inside AI Overviews that, instead of taking users to the source web page, redirect them into AI Mode’s conversational interface. It’s a direct structural shift in where AI Overview traffic goes next, observed by SEOs this week.
What happened
SEOs monitoring AI Overview layouts this week found that some links embedded within the AI-generated answer now open AI Mode rather than the cited website. Previously, links inside AI Overviews functioned as citations pointing to the source content; this change routes at least some of that click intent back into Google’s own conversational surface instead of out to the web.
This builds directly on the pattern covered in our post on Google folding AI Mode into AI Overviews — the two surfaces aren’t just sharing a model anymore, they’re now sharing traffic flow, and less of it is reaching publisher sites.
Why it matters
This is one of the more consequential publisher-facing changes in Google’s AI rollout so far. Even users who click through an AI Overview link may now land inside another AI answer rather than on a website, further compounding the click-through losses already being measured — including the 23.1% CTR decline reported in France. Publishers should treat this as an acceleration of the trend, not an isolated tweak.
Key facts
- Observed this week in AI Overview results
- Some AI Overview links now open AI Mode instead of the source website
- Extends Google’s ongoing merge of AI Mode and AI Overviews
- Adds to existing publisher concerns about falling AI-era click-through rates
FAQ
Does this affect all AI Overview links?
No — reports describe this happening for some links within AI Overviews, not a full replacement of citation links site-wide.
What can publishers do about it?
There’s no direct opt-out for this specific behavior yet. Focus on clear, well-structured content that’s likely to be cited accurately, and track AI-surface performance using Search Console’s generative AI reports.
Related reading
- Google Folds AI Mode Into AI Overviews as Gemini 3.7 Flash Takes Over
- AI Overviews Cut Click-Through Rate 23.1% in France
- More AI Search coverage
Source: Search Engine Roundtable
