Google's August Spam Update Rolls Out Alongside Generative UI in AI Overviews

Google began rolling out its third spam update of 2026 on August 18, with the rollout expected to take several days; the update introduces no new spam policies. Generative UI—which builds custom layouts, calculators, and interactive tools within answers—has started expanding from AI Mode into AI Overviews globally in English, meaning pages built around embedded tools now compete directly with the search results page itself. Google is also rolling out a Preferred Sources button that lets readers add sites to their preferences across Top Stories, AI Overviews, and AI Mode, with over 600,000 sources selected so far. Meanwhile, Reddit's share of ChatGPT Search citations dropped 86% in mid-August from 3.83% to 0.52%, though the underlying cause remains unclear—suggesting citation metrics can shift dramatically without warning or explanation.