Google Search adds Preferred Sources to AI Overviews, introduces article carousels

Google is making it easier to find the sites you actually care about in AI Search

AI Overviews and AI Mode results will start showing link carousels to sites, social media posts, and forums in certain situations. Google has a tool called Preferred Sources that lets you pick trusted websites to appear in the Top Stories section of search results. The feature first debuted in the US and India last year, and became more widely available last month. It's available globally in all languages supported by Google Search. However, users are seeing Top Stories less often thanks to the emergence of AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search. Starting today, Preferred Sources will now appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, helping you spot the articles that inform Google's AI Search results.

Google AI Mode and AI Overviews will highlight your Preferred Sources

After introducing for regular Search results, Google is bringing Preferred Sources to AI Mode and AI Overviews. Like in the Top Stories carousel, websites that you've selected as Preferred Sources will be highlighted in AI Overviews and AI Mode. At the moment, these "Preferred" badges appear when your selected sites happen to appear in the response. In the future, Google is working on using Preferred Sources as a ranking signal across its AI features so that what you've selected appears more often. To add sources, go to: google.com/preferences/source. This is rolling out starting today, with Google noting how people have already "selected more than 345,000 unique sources." In regular Search results, Google will now show a prominent carousel that also highlights Preferred Sources for "some searches when you have a question about a developing topic." The goal is to "make timely articles more visible on a wider range of queries." We know people often want to read an article or a post for these searches, but some initial context and a range of options helps them decide where to dig in. Google will also soon add a carousel for "helpful perspectives from online discussions, forums, and social media" when you're searching for "insights from others." The final update today will add a "Highly Cited" badge to "more web article links on the search results page." This helps readers find "primary reporting that other articles are referencing."

Google Search adds Preferred Sources, article carousels, and Highly Cited labels to AI Search

Google has announced new Search updates aimed at helping users discover trusted websites, original reporting, creator insights, and firsthand perspectives more easily. The company is expanding its Preferred Sources feature to AI-powered Search experiences, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, while also introducing new ways to surface timely articles, online discussions, and influential reporting. New AI Search features The updates were announced by Duncan Osborn, Product Manager for Google Search. He added that these changes are part of Google's ongoing efforts to connect users with trusted sources, creator content, and firsthand perspectives across the web. Preferred Sources in AI Overviews and AI Mode Google says Preferred Sources is designed to help users see more content from websites, publishers, and creators they value most. Starting today, the feature is expanding to AI Overviews and AI Mode. This allows users to more easily identify links from websites they have already selected inside AI-generated Search responses. Similar to Top Stories, Preferred Sources will be clearly labeled in results. Users can manage the feature through source preferences in Search personalization settings, where they can add favorite websites and publishers. Google says any website that publishes fresh content is eligible to be added. According to the company, users are twice as likely to click through to a Preferred Source, while more than 345,000 unique sources have already been selected. New article and perspective discovery tools Google Search is also getting new carousel-based experiences focused on articles, updates, and perspectives. For some searches related to developing topics, Search will begin showing a prominent article carousel featuring timely coverage from different publishers. The carousel may also highlight Preferred Sources. Google says the feature is intended to provide users with initial context and multiple content options before they decide which article or source to explore further. The company is also preparing a similar carousel focused on perspectives from online discussions, forums, and social media platforms. This experience is designed for searches where users may be looking for opinions, experiences, or insights shared by others online. Expanded "Highly Cited" labels Google is also expanding its "Highly Cited" badge to more article links in Search results. The label highlights stories and reports that are frequently referenced by other publishers and articles, helping users identify influential or primary reporting more easily. Search will also indicate when an article explicitly references a Highly Cited source. Google says the feature is intended to help users discover influential coverage and original reporting more easily. Availability Google says Preferred Sources support for AI Overviews and AI Mode is rolling out starting today. The new article and perspective carousels, along with expanded Highly Cited labels, are also being introduced gradually across Google Search.