In short. Google requires no special structured data for AI Overviews or AI Mode; supporting-link eligibility requires indexing and eligibility for a search snippet.
Definition: As of 17 October 2026, Google requires no special structured data for AI Overviews or AI Mode, its AI search features. Structured data is standardized markup describing page content; Google's supporting-link eligibility requires indexing and eligibility for a search snippet, the text preview accompanying a result.
Key facts
- Google's AI features documentation explicitly says there is no special schema.org structured data to add and no additional technical requirements for AI Overviews or AI Mode.
- Google's Search technical requirements require access for Googlebot, its search crawler, an HTTP
200success response, and indexable content. - Google's structured data guidelines require markup to represent the page's content and prohibit marking up information hidden from readers.
- Google's structured data introduction describes markup for rich results, search appearances with enhancements such as recipe information, and recommends JSON-LD as an implementation format.
What technical requirements apply?
Google's AI features guide says a page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Search with a snippet before it can appear as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Meeting the requirements alone does not ensure that Google crawls, indexes or serves the content.
The technical requirements page explains that Googlebot must be able to find and access a working page. Indexable content means text in a supported file type that complies with Google's spam policies. A page requiring login prevents Googlebot from crawling it.
The AI features guide also recommends allowing crawling through hosting infrastructure, making important content available as text, and providing internal links. These checks apply alongside the indexing and snippet requirements.
What role does ordinary structured data have?
Google's introduction to structured data explains that markup helps Google understand page content and can enable rich results. Most Search structured data uses schema.org, a vocabulary for naming content types and properties. JSON-LD is a format for expressing that data inside an HTML script element.
The following abbreviated fragment uses fields from Google's recipe example:
{
"@context": "https://schema.org/",
"@type": "Recipe",
"name": "Non-Alcoholic Piña Colada"
}
This fragment illustrates the vocabulary and omits the additional properties in the example. Implementing a rich result requires the properties specified in Google's guide for that feature. Google's AI features documentation separately states that no new markup or special schema.org structured data is necessary for those AI features.
The general structured data guidelines require the markup to match visible content. Their example says that when JSON-LD describes a performer, the HTML body must describe the same performer.
How can a website check its implementation?
Google's technical requirements documentation recommends the URL Inspection tool in Search Console for checking a specific page's accessibility and HTTP status. Its Page Indexing and Crawl Stats reports help identify pages Google cannot access.
For markup, Google's structured data introduction recommends the Rich Results Test during development and rich result status reports after deployment. These checks concern supported rich result markup. The general guidelines also require manual attention to quality: automated tools cannot easily test those requirements.
Related terms
FAQ
Do I need to add an AI-specific schema type?
No. Google's AI features documentation explicitly says you do not need special schema.org structured data for AI Overviews or AI Mode.
Can I keep existing structured data?
Yes, when it accurately describes your visible content and follows the relevant feature requirements. Google's structured data guidelines require a true representation of the page and all required properties for the chosen rich result type.
Which test should I use for existing markup?
Google's structured data introduction recommends the Rich Results Test to validate markup during development. It also recommends rich result status reports to monitor validity after deployment.
Sources
- Google Search Central, "AI features and your website", updated 10 December 2025
- Google Search Central, "Google Search technical requirements", updated 18 December 2025
- Google Search Central, "Introduction to structured data markup in Google Search", updated 10 December 2025
- Google Search Central, "General structured data guidelines", updated 10 July 2026
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