Google must let publishers opt out of AI Search features, rules UK

Key points

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• Online publishers are getting more control over whether their websites appear in Google’s AI Search features, thanks to a UK regulatory ruling.
• The new conduct rule imposed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) requires Google to let website owners keep their content out of features like AI Overviews and prevent it from being used for the “fine-tuning” of Google’s AI models.
• “In a world first, publishers will now have effective tools to prevent their content being used to power AI features in search, such as AI Overviews,” the CMA announced.
• “This will put publishers, like news organizations, in a stronger position to negotiate content deals with Google.” Google will also have to ensure that publisher content is “properly attributed, using clear links,” in AI‑generated search results.