Google AI Mode doesn't always pass referrer data from the links on the sidebar. This is supposedly being looked at by the Google Search team and hopefully will be fixed soon, if not, already.
Tom Critchlow spotted this issue last week and posted on LinkedIn, "these sidebar links within Ai Mode (red highlighted) are not passing any referrer." "Traffic from these clicks will appear as direct, not Google," he added.
Here is a screenshot:
John Mueller from Google replied over the weekend saying, "Thanks - I'll pass a note on!"
Forum discussion at LinkedIn.
