Google AI Mode's Gemini 3.8 Flash Drops Citations on Top-of-Funnel Queries
After Google pushed Gemini 3.8 Flash to AI Mode subscribers, SEO practitioner Gagan Ghotra reported that many top-of-funnel (TOFU) queries returned answers with no citations at all, while long-tail queries still showed sources. Search Engine Land's Barry Schwartz asked whether the behavior affected all queries; Gagan suspects a bug and continues testing. Google has not commented.
Confirmed
- Gemini 3.8 Flash has rolled out to AI Mode subscribers, with the model name visible in the UI
- Per tests by gaganghotra (and Glenn Gabe, mentioned in reposts), the new model shows almost no links or citations for common TOFU queries
- Long-tail queries still display citations, so sources are not gone across the board
Unconfirmed
- Whether the zero-citation behavior is intentional or a bug remains unresolved; gaganghotra leans toward the bug theory and is expanding his tests
- Barry Schwartz's question of whether all queries lose citations has no answer yet
Why it matters
- If AI Mode persistently omits citations on common queries, users lose traceability and sites lose top-of-funnel traffic and visibility — a warning sign for content publishers and the SEO industry
2026-09-03 ~ 2026-09-03 · 5 related posts
Primary sources
- [source] Gemini 3.8 Flash in AI Mode drops citations for many TOFU queries, alarming SEOs — gaganghotra_ · 2026-09-03
- [source] Barry Schwartz probes reports of Google AI Mode returning zero citations — rustybrick · 2026-09-03
- Google AI Mode shows zero citations on high-level TOFU queries, SEO tests find — gaganghotra_ · 2026-09-03
- [source] AI Mode's missing citations limited to TOFU queries, long-tail still cited — likely a bug — gaganghotra_ · 2026-09-03
- Google AI Mode with Gemini 3.8 Flash barely cites sources, SEOs find — gaganghotra_ · 2026-09-03