Google AI Overview Links Pushing You To AI Mode Over Web Pages

Google is testing anchor links inside AI Overviews that route users into AI Mode rather than to external web pages, according to SEO practitioner Gagan Ghotra, who posted a video of the behavior on X on September 21, 2026. Ghotra said the links appear at the bottom of AI Overview answers and prompt follow-up questions that open AI Mode, calling it "Another day - Another Tactic from Google to push users from usual search results to AI Mode." The test matters because it keeps search traffic inside Google's AI answer surface instead of sending clicks to publisher websites.

Google is placing links, normal looking links, within the AI Overviews that take you into AI Mode instead of taking you to web pages and web sites. These links appear at the bottom of the AI Overview and prompt follow-up questions that take you into AI Mode. This Google AI Overview "feature" was spotted by Gagan Ghotra who posted a video of this in action on X https://x.com/gaganghotra /status/2101885971881247088 . Gagan wrote, in AI Overviews answers Google is now testing showing anchor links which instead of taking to a webpage takes to AI Mode." "Another day - Another Tactic from Google to push users from usual search results to AI Mode," he added. Here is a GIF of it in action: Here is a static link where Gagan's mouse cursor points at the two links that do this: Here is his full video: 🆕 in AI Overviews answers Google is now testing showing anchor links which instead of taking to a webpage takes to AI Mode. Another day - Another Tactic from Google to push users from usual search results to AI Mode SEO https://x.com/hashtag/SEO?src=hash&ref src=twsrc%5Etfw pic.twitter.com/2Vpp0V8EoR https://t.co/2Vpp0V8EoR September 21, 2026 https://x.com/gaganghotra /status/2101885971881247088?ref src=twsrc%5Etfw Forum discussion at X https://x.com/gaganghotra /status/2101885971881247088 .