Google AI Overview Links Are Sending Users Into AI Mode Instead of Web Pages
Website owners and ordinary searchers are getting a clearer view of where AI Overview links actually go. A test spotted in late September 2026 shows Google placing standard-looking anchor links inside AI Overviews that open AI Mode rather than sending the user to a web page. The links sit at the bottom of the AI Overview and act as follow-up question prompts, pulling the user deeper into Google’s answer engine instead of out to a source site.
What the AI Overview Links Look Like in the Test
The links appear as normal anchor text within the AI Overview answer. A user hovering over them would expect a destination URL just like any other search result. Instead, clicking one launches AI Mode, the conversational follow-up interface Google has been building into search. The links do not carry the user to the publisher site that informed the answer.
Screen recordings of the test show the cursor resting on two such links within the overview. Both are positioned at the bottom of the answer block. Their placement matches the familiar pattern of related-query links, which historically led to a new search results page. In this case, the destination is AI Mode.
Why the Destination Matters for Publishers
For sites that rank in AI Overviews, the path a click takes has direct commercial weight. A link that leads to a web page preserves the traditional referral model. A link that leads to AI Mode keeps the user inside Google’s interface, where follow-up answers can be generated without another site visit.
This reduces the value of an AI Overview mention. Links from AI Overviews now open another AI response instead of the cited source, so the content may still be visible without driving traffic to the publisher. Publishers monitoring referral traffic from AI Overviews would notice a change if the test expands.
How the Test Was Spotted
The behavior was documented on September 21, 2026 with a video posted publicly on X. The clip shows AI Overviews returning anchor links that open AI Mode instead of a webpage. The post framed the change as another step pushing users from standard search results toward AI Mode, and the observation quickly circulated among search professionals.
What Search Professionals Are Watching
Search marketers are treating this as a signal of Google’s direction for AI Overviews. The placement of the links suggests a deliberate design choice rather than a bug. If Google wanted only follow-up prompts, it could label them clearly as such. Using standard anchor-link styling while routing clicks elsewhere creates a different expectation for the user.
Tracking where AI Overview links send traffic is part of measuring search visibility today. Rank trackers that monitor presence in AI answers are one side of the picture; the destination of the click is the other half. SEOScanPro’s AI visibility tracking keeps a record of whether a site is being cited by AI engines, which becomes more relevant as Google adjusts what those citations link to.
What Comes Next
This is a live test, not a confirmed rollout. Google has not published documentation about the behavior, and the links may appear for only a subset of queries, accounts, or regions. The test follows a steady pattern of AI Overview changes through 2026 as Google expands AI Mode and adjusts how deeply it is woven into the results page.
For businesses that depend on search referrals, the practical step is to watch analytics for changes in click behavior from AI Overview impressions and to verify how their links render across different query types.
FAQ
Where do the new AI Overview links take users?
In the test, links at the bottom of Google AI Overviews open AI Mode instead of taking the user to a web page or website.
Are these AI Overview links a confirmed change for everyone?
No. This was observed as a test on September 21, 2026. It has not been confirmed as a full rollout, and it may appear for only certain queries or users.
How can publishers tell if their AI Overview links go to AI Mode?
Publishers can monitor referral traffic from AI Overviews and check how their links behave across different queries. A drop in site visits despite steady AI Overview presence may indicate clicks are being routed into AI Mode.
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