sources_footnote reference/sources-footnote

What it is

Below the answer ChatGPT shows a list "Sources". In the conversation object this is a content_reference with type: "sources_footnote" and an array sources, each entry with title, url, attribution. Measured 21–22 Aug 2026: in 17 of 18 searching standard runs exactly one footnote; it was missing on 22 Aug for K1-01 instant, where three url references in the text and a dil widget stood instead. The footnote must be distinguished from the hit set (search_result_groups, 14–22 URLs): it contains only the selection the model presents as evidence, typically two to six entries.

External evidence

• Suganthan Mohanadasan, 14 Jul 2026: new reference structure with IDs as objects, supporting_websites on citation items.
• RESONEO (Olivier de Segonzac), teardown February 2026: three citation types.

For visibility

This is the only place where a website appears to the user as a source. Hits that do not make the footnote are invisible to the user even if they were read. Segonzac distinguishes three visibility tiers: citations (in text), more sources (footnote), hidden links (object only). Anyone measuring visibility must count the footnote, not the hits.

External sources

mohanadasan-2026-07-14 · segonzac-2026-02-01

Change history

No event has touched this object yet.

Open

• By what rule are footnote entries chosen from grouped_webpages? On 22 Aug K1-01 instant had no sources_footnote but three url references and a dil widget — the footnote is not guaranteed.
• What is the role of supporting_websites (Mohanadasan: runner-up per claim)? Our refs.supporting_website_count is 0 so far.

Related

url (inline reference) grouped_webpages / search_result_groups open (opened results) Query fan-out