• by Laurie Sullivan , Yesterday

Google News' artificial intelligence (AI) pilot program got a boost on Thursday with the announcement that 400 publications now partner with the Alphabet company as readers' information-gathering habits continue to evolve and publishers work to adapt.

The company found ways to connect web users with publishers. Through a licensing program, Google today acknowledged it is paying participating news publications for the delivery and use of their content to develop new AI features.

For example, these experiences include in-depth article overviews on Google News publisher pages, which offer users helpful context before they click and customizable audio briefings for listeners. The articles include clear attribution and direct links.

These features build new ways for readers to connect with sources. Axios, CNN, The Financial Times, Forbes, Post and Courier, Texas Tribune, Oil City News, and Shaw Media in the U.S. have become some of Google's newest partners as newsroom technology and reader priorities shift 

The pilot launched last year with The Washington Examiner, The Washington Post, and other publishers.

In September, the company said it was exploring ways to give publishers a new revenue stream. In a pilot program, Google paid roughly 100 publishers for content based on how much it contributes to AI-powered answers and other products. 

AI-powered summaries, AI Overviews, and other similar search products have dramatically reduced the amount of search traffic to websites, prompting publishers to find other ways to compensate for the loss of traffic.

In a separate announcement, Google said it has updated the way links will serve up in AI Mode and AI Overviews. The company began to roll out "prominent carousels" that enable users to see timely articles in AI Search features to additional locations and languages across the globe.

These carousels also highlight a user's "Preferred Sources," making it easier to find coverage from the websites. 

Google has also changed the way it displays "inline links," which are now higher up in responses to queries.

The company also plans to begin testing a section at the top of the page for responses, adding links to official sites about specific tasks.

The company hopes these changes will help users find key sources more easily and help them navigate to the content for added context on the topic.

A new display in Search AI experiences is being tested that serve links to websites in a dedicated section at the top of an AI Mode response.

Features such as AI Mode and AI Overviews will also include context explaining the importance of these links.