Google redefines web links as just a part of search
sundar pichai stated links will remain a part of search, signaling a shift from an index to an ai answer engine.
google is fundamentally shifting its search strategy from a directory of open web links to a proprietary ai answer engine. ceo sundar pichai explicitly referred to links as just a feature that will be part of search, downgrading the historical role of the open web as the product's core. technical updates like preferred sources and integrated chat keep users inside google's ecosystem, reducing outbound traffic. this transition transforms google from a neutral intermediary into a publisher with editorial power over visibility.