研究显示，Google生成式搜索工具中的引用正越来越多指向其自身平台。根据SEO公司SE Ranking的分析，在AI Mode中约17%的所有引用链接回Google.com，这一比例在过去一年增长了约三倍。第二大被引用网站是YouTube，同样属于Google。对特定领域的分析发现，自引用更为集中：在娱乐和旅游主题中，大约一半的AI Mode引用会返回Google搜索结果。这表明生成式搜索正在显著提高Google内部生态系统的链接占比。
具体案例显示AI Mode经常形成“循环链接”。在一次关于2026年奥斯卡的查询中，系统输出包含17个内嵌链接，全部指向Google搜索结果页面，而不是外部网站；段落末尾仅提供3个指向第三方来源的按钮。Google方面表示，这些链接类似于“People also ask”等功能，用于帮助用户探索后续问题，而不是替代外部网站。然而SEO专家指出，这类设计意味着用户点击引用后仍停留在Google环境内，而不是访问原始内容发布者。
这种趋势反映出更广泛的“零点击”结构变化。数字营销研究者指出，搜索与社交平台正在从向外部网站输送流量的模式，转向在平台内部保留流量。对于Google而言，这可能增加用户搜索次数并提高广告收入。但对在线出版商而言，影响可能显著：如果AI摘要依赖其内容却将大量流量重新导向Google自身服务，许多网站可能面临访问量下降与商业模式压力。
Research indicates that citations in Google’s generative search tools increasingly direct users back to the company’s own platforms. According to an analysis by the SEO firm SE Ranking, about 17% of all citations in AI Mode link to Google.com, a share that has roughly tripled over the past year. The second most cited site overall is YouTube, which is also owned by Google. In certain niches the concentration is stronger: roughly half of AI Mode citations for entertainment and travel topics return to Google search results. This pattern suggests that generative search is significantly increasing the share of links within Google’s own ecosystem.
Specific examples show how AI Mode can create “looping” links. In a query about the 2026 Oscars, the system produced 17 inline hyperlinks, all pointing to Google search results rather than external sites, while only three buttons at the end of the paragraphs linked to third-party sources. Google states these links function similarly to features such as “People also ask,” helping users explore follow-up questions rather than replacing links to the web. However, SEO experts argue that this design keeps users within the Google environment after clicking citations instead of directing them to the original publishers.
The pattern reflects a broader structural shift toward a “zero-click” internet. Digital marketing analysts argue that search engines and social media platforms are moving from sending traffic to external websites toward retaining traffic internally. For Google, this shift may increase the number of searches and thus advertising revenue. For online publishers, however, the implications may be significant: if AI summaries rely on their content while redirecting large portions of traffic back to Google’s services, many sites could face declining visits and increasing pressure on their business models.