Google is again experimenting with placing AI Overview citation cards at the bottom of desktop search results rather than on the right side, marking at least the third time the company has tested this layout variation since September 2025.
Third-party tracking data shows external links inside Google AI Overview answer text rose sharply from near zero to 26.2% between early and late September 2026, while a separate recording demonstrates that some underlined text in AI Overviews opens AI Mode rather than an external webpage. Google's own Search Console reports do not currently provide enough data to measure click-through rates from AI features.
YouTube announced shopping capabilities for Ask YouTube, its experimental conversational AI search tool, at the Made On YouTube event on September 23, 2026. Users searching for product reviews may now see results organized in comparison tables, and can ask follow-up questions about products directly on video watch pages.