Is Google Ditching Blue Background For AI Citations?

Shockwaves were sent through the SEO industry as a new test spotted AI Overview citations with a white background, not a blue one.

Spotted by Sachin Patel on X, the citations still appear to the right of the results, but in his example are on a non-shaded background. Here are some of his screenshots:

White:

Blue:

Google is changing the color design of the AI Overview link cards. Previously, they had a blue background; now they appear with a white background @brodieseo @rustybrick @gaganghotra_ pic.twitter.com/6Z3y9U1gGT

— Sachin Patel (@SachuPatel53124) March 27, 2026

I still see the shady AI Overviews personally:

I personally like the blue shade, it makes the citations feel more noticeable, so I can then not click on them.

Glenn Gabe and Brodie Clark also spotted these:

Oh, and the new formatting being tested for citations is also present in AI Mode. Again, the links definitely pop more... pic.twitter.com/7P8mLXxVJ2

— Glenn Gabe (@glenngabe) March 27, 2026

Google is now testing out white citation cards within AI overviews instead of the standard blue cards on desktop.

The change now draws more attention toward the in-answer bubble links that rolled out last month, which remain in blue with this experiment.

This was first… pic.twitter.com/kbPuHTvylP

— SERP Alert ⚡️ (@SERPalerts) March 29, 2026

Here is another:

@rustybrick did you see the Ai overview card became small? Is it new? pic.twitter.com/RfHLNK38mr

— ylsSEO (@seoyls) March 27, 2026

Forum discussion over in the shade.