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Early testing shows Gemini 3.8 Flash in Google AI Mode less likely to cite and link to sources

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TLDR

Early users report that Google's new Gemini 3.8 Flash model in AI Mode cites and links to sources less frequently than previous versions.

Optimixed Overview

Optimixed's original report on this story.

SERoundtable notes that initial feedback from users testing Gemini 3.8 Flash—Google's latest model available to AI Mode subscribers—indicates the model is less inclined to cite or link to source material compared to earlier iterations. This behavior change could reduce visibility and traffic to publisher websites that traditionally benefited from AI-generated result citations.

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