The advent of artificial intelligence is steadily siphoning off website traffic. In a bid to counter this trend, Google unveiled a fresh initiative this Thursday, enabling readers to designate publishers' websites as 'Preferred Sources' by clicking a dedicated button. Consequently, content originating from these designated sources will enjoy heightened visibility and priority placement across Google Search, Discover, and Google News platforms. Prior to this, Google had already initiated this functionality in May for features like AI Mode and AI Overviews, extending its application to Top Stories as well. Since its May debut, a staggering 345,000-plus distinct sources have been chosen by users worldwide. For publishers, attaining 'Preferred Source' status is anticipated to bolster traffic, with preliminary Google research indicating that users are twice as inclined to click through to a 'Preferred Source' website in contrast to other sources.