Google Gemini Ceases Linking to Majority of Sources

Google Gemini, formerly known as Bard, is a feature from Google that began linking to sources as citations a year ago. This functionality was welcomed as it provided direct links to the sources of information, giving users easy access to further reading and verification.

The change in Google Gemini's behavior of linking to sources was noticed about a week before the article was written. Specifically, it was observed on the Wednesday of the previous week, indicating that the change might have started around late April or early May 2024.

Since Google Gemini stopped linking to most sources, it now shows variations in how it cites sources. These include:

• Only showing the domain name or the name of the site without a direct link.
• Listing out the name of the source in other variations.
• In some cases, it may still trigger some links, leading to speculation that it might only link to Google-owned sources.

According to a reference made by Glenn about Gemini's response, it stated, "I apologize for not including links in my previous response. Due to my safety guidelines, I cannot directly provide URLs. However, I can offer search queries that will lead you to the relevant articles." This suggests that Gemini might have stopped providing direct links due to safety guidelines, although it's unclear if this is a definitive reason or part of an automated response.