Google adds Preferred Sources and carousels to AI search

Google is integrating its user-controlled Preferred Sources feature into its AI-powered search results, a move designed to give selected publishers more visibility within AI Overviews and AI Mode. The company is also introducing new carousel formats for developing stories and expanding its Highly Cited labels across standard search results.

The Preferred Sources feature, which allows users to designate trusted websites, will now label links from those sources within AI-generated responses. Users can manage their selections through personalization settings, adding websites that publish fresh content. According to the company, users click on links from their preferred sources at twice the rate of other links, and over 345,000 unique sources have already been selected globally. Product Manager Duncan Osborn stated that the update makes it easier for users to identify links from sources they have already chosen within AI responses.

Alongside this integration, Google is deploying new carousel formats for certain searches. For queries about evolving news topics, a prominent carousel will surface timely articles, highlighting any preferred sources in the mix. A separate carousel...