Google has announced that publishers will soon be able to choose whether their content appears in the company’s AI-powered search products, following new requirements introduced by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The change will allow website owners to opt out of having their content aggregated into Google’s generative AI search experiences while remaining visible in traditional search results.
To facilitate the change, Google will introduce a new option within Search Console, the company’s free platform that enables website owners to manage their presence in Google Search.
Publishers that choose to opt out will no longer have their content featured in AI-generated products such as AI Overviews, AI Mode, and AI Overviews in Discover.
Google said it will begin testing the feature with a limited number of UK publishers before expanding it globally.
CMA calls move a ‘world first’
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority described the measure as a “world first,” saying it gives publishers, including news organizations, greater influence over how their content is used in AI products.
Regulators believe the change could strengthen publishers’ positions when negotiating licensing and content agreements with Google.
Regulatory pressure on Google
The latest development follows the CMA’s decision last October to designate Google as having “strategic market status,” a classification that paved the way for additional oversight.
In January, the regulator called on Google to provide website owners with clear choices regarding whether their content could be used in AI search products or for training standalone AI models.
Alongside the opt-out mechanism, Google will also be required to provide clearer attribution when publisher content appears in AI-generated responses.
The company said it has already taken steps to comply by increasing the number of inline links within AI-generated answers and introducing website previews designed to encourage users to visit original sources.
Search rankings will not be affected
Google emphasized that choosing to opt out of AI search features will not negatively affect a website’s ranking in traditional Google Search.
The company sought to reassure publishers that participation in AI products will remain separate from standard search visibility.
New analytics for publishers
To help publishers understand how their content is used, Google plans to introduce additional metrics within Search Console.
These insights will include information about which pages appear in AI-generated responses, the number of impressions they receive, and the countries where they are shown.
Google said more reporting features will be added over time.
Despite the new restrictions, Google highlighted the rapid growth of its AI search products.
According to the company, AI Overviews now serve more than 2.5 billion monthly active users, while AI Mode has surpassed one billion monthly users.
What happens next?
The opt-out system is expected to begin testing with selected UK publishers before being rolled out internationally. The move could set a precedent for other regulators seeking to balance the interests of technology companies, publishers, and content creators as AI-powered search becomes increasingly widespread.
