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Google Search adds ‘Web’ filter that only shows links; AI answers can’t be disabled

Google’s AI-powered Search experience is now rolling out to everyone and, with it, the web will never be the same again. However, with all of these new layers on top of the “10 blue links,” Google is making it possible to go back to something simpler with a new “Web” filter in Search.

When Google was founded over 25 years ago, the company’s search engine was a relatively simple concept. By crawling the web, Google could bring back relevant websites to help you find what you needed. It’s why “Google” is not just the company’s name, but also a verb. Over time, though, the original vision has changed.

In 2024, Google Search has several layers on top of just links.

Some searches bring back shopping results, some bring back “Knowledge Panels” full of easy-to-read information, and some have “Featured Snippets” which show an excerpt from a website prominently at the top of the page. And, now, AI Overviews are being added to the mix, with generative AI being used to summarize search results which, in many cases, will mean you never have to leave Search itself at all.

Google says that AI Overviews, like Knowledge Panels and Featured Snippets, is a new feature of Search.

In other words, it’s not something you can simply turn off.

AI Overviews will appear on many searches, especially if you ask a question. That means pushing traditional web links down the page, sometimes entirely out of view as pictured below.

As such, Google confirmed that it will be adding a new “Web” filter to Search. This new filter will work like the images, videos, and various other Search filters, but the goal will be to show only links to the web. You won’t get specific answers to questions, but you’ll be able to find the answers you’re looking for on the web, just like Search used to focus on.

It’s not exactly clear when this new web filter will be rolling out to Google Search, but it sounds like it will be available alongside the rollout of AI Overviews.

Google notes that its users find Search’s additional features useful, but is adding this new filter to make it easier to just get links when a user wants to do so.

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Avatar for Ben Schoon Ben Schoon

Ben is a Senior Editor for 9to5Google.

Find him on Twitter @NexusBen. Send tips to schoon@9to5g.com or encrypted to benschoon@protonmail.com.


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