Back in June, Google released link carousels for top stories or developing topics to AI Overviews. I was happy. Now, Google is also releasing this for AI Mode queries, which adds carousels of web pages directly in the AI Mode response. I am happy again.
Robby Stein from Google wrote on X, "Now live in AI Mode (already in AI Overviews): link carousels for developing topics."
Here is his screenshot of the link carousels in AI Mode:
Robby added the PR line, "Our goal with AI Search is to make it easy to connect with original coverage and a range of perspectives."
Not everyone is happy with this but I do think this is a step up from not having link cards.
Here is Adam from Inspired Taste's take on this:
AIOs are even worse
— Inspired Taste (@inspiredtaste)[@rmstein]. AI search is being used to directly replace publishers. The query in this example, “baked apples recipe inspired taste”. Our link is pushed down by an AIO with a full AI recipe confidently claiming to be ours. This has to stop[@rmstein]&[@rajanpatel].[pic.twitter.com/GWjOx25dXX][August 25, 2026]
But again, I do think this is an improvement and I'd like to see more of this...
Forum discussion at X.