For the past few years, Google has been integrating AI into everything, even the universal search. We have seen how AI Overviews have taken over the traditional flow of information and at the Google I/O 2026 event, the brand introduced the biggest search redesign in years, an AI-first Intelligent Search Box. Now, it wants to create a healthy space where both traditional media and AI generated content can exist and reach users globally.
AI Overviews and AI Mode Now Include Preferred Sources
In an official blog post, Google has confirmed it is integrating Preferred Sources into AI Overviews and AI Mode. Instead of using a large dataset to compile the AI-generated search summary, Google will now only refer to the sources users trust to bring credible and authentic reporting to people.
This doesn't mean that AI Overviews will completely stop generating non preferred source contents. The bog post explains that while the AI-generated summaries for relevant topics will be compiled from preferred sources, for content that doesn't have relevant data from sources, will still be generated from general links.
This means that if a user has set a tech publication as their preferred source and they search for something related to lifestyle, it will use search data for AI Overview instead of the set source. Google confirms that preferred sources will be clearly labelled so users can visit the site link to know more.
Users will simply need to visit the source preferences page in Search personalisation settings and add their favourite and trusted sources. Google will automatically use that data for AI Overviews. It claims that users have already favorited over 345,000 unique web sources.
Google explains a large part of this move is to counter low quality content and credit authentic pieces of journalism. Hence, it is also changing the hierarchy of information on AI Overviews. Users will now see a scrollable carousal of top influential content right below the AI summary to help users know the trusted sources and prioritise real time coverages.
The entire system is now designed to help publications feel secure and not lose out on traffic due to AI Overviews. While Google is still heavily pushing and promoting AI Overviews, it is good to see the brand also give visibility to pieces of journalism whose data the system relies on.
