Publishers weigh Google opt-out as AI summaries cut news traffic
Publishers face a choice over whether to opt out of Google search features, as AI tools change how news is read and paid for.
By Standard Topic. AI-generated from the reporting listed under Coverage. Published . Updated .
What happened
Publishers say AI chatbots and AI summaries use their reporting to answer readers while sending them less traffic and less money. Google is preparing a search opt-out that publishers have long sought, mandated by the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, while enhancing AI Overviews in ways that could make opting out less appealing.
Timeline
- Nov 9, 12:01 AM ET: Google was reported to be working up the search opt-out mandated by the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, while publishers await click data.
- Nov 9, 3:40 AM ET: Publishers said AI chatbots were using their reporting while sending back less traffic and less money, raising whether AI companies should pay for journalism.
- Nov 9, 1:09 PM ET: Experts at Northeastern University London discussed how journalism can adapt as AI summaries pull readers away from news sites.
Coverage
- How generative AI is causing a crisis in the media industry (news.northeastern.edu)
- Should AI Companies Pay for the Journalism They Use? (DW (Deutsche Welle))
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