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Google says it’s exploring the option of allowing publishers to opt out of having their website content used to generate AI overviews at the top of search results.
In a Blog post Published on Thursday, the company addressed its approach to the controls it provides websites in order to manage how their content appears in Search AI features. This post was Google’s response to the fact that the UK Competition and Markets Authority has opened a consultation on potential new requirements for Google.
Google introduced its AI Overviews features, which place AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, in the summer of 2024. The company relies on information pulled from websites to create an overview, and websites couldn’t opt out of Google using their content for that purpose.
As a direct result of this, many publishers and media organizations around the world are reporting massive declines in click-through traffic, which is having a domino effect on revenue and their ability to produce the original content that Google relies on for overviews.
Citing Google’s dominant position in the world of online search, CMA He proposed a package of measures Wednesday is designed to ensure news and content producers get a fairer deal on how the company uses their content. These measures include allowing publishers to opt out of their content being used to power AI features, such as AI Overview, or to train AI models outside of Google Search.
Google said in its blog that it is “now exploring updates to our controls to specifically allow sites to opt out of AI-generated features for search.” He did not say whether these controls would be available to publishers based outside the UK.
“Our goal is to protect the usefulness of search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content,” the company said. “We look forward to participating in the CMA process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic.”
The company also stated that any new controls it added are necessary to avoid disrupting Google Search “in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people.” Its overall goal is to protect the “usefulness” of the research.
CNET operates as a trademark of Ziff Davis.
It should be noted that Google’s AI Overviews feature has, on numerous occasions, provided inaccurate information, including the screenshot above, which incorrectly identifies CNET’s parent company as Red Ventures. (CNET is currently owned by Ziff Davis.) This arguably represents an example of the “fragmented and confusing experience” that Google says it wants to avoid.
The Capital Markets Authority said it would wait a year to announce the results of the consultation and whether it plans to take further action. In the meantime, Google said it hopes it can find a way forward that “provides more options for website owners and publishers.”