Google Must Let UK Publishers Opt Out of AI Search Under New Rules

Britain has imposed new conduct requirements on Google’s search services, including measures that will allow publishers to opt out of having their content used to power the tech giant’s AI features, as the regulator steps up oversight of the company’s dominance in online search.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has raised concerns over Google’s market power, designating it with “strategic market status” under the UK’s digital markets competition regime. The designation allows the watchdog to introduce targeted rules aimed at improving trust, transparency and competition.

Google accounts for more than 90 per cent of search queries in the UK. The regulator said in January that it wanted to give publishers greater control over how their content is used in search and AI-driven products.

On Wednesday, the CMA said the new requirements would give publishers “more control and stronger bargaining power over the use of their content”, while helping ensure a fair deal in the digital ecosystem.

News publishers and other websites have reported falling click-through rates as users increasingly rely on AI-generated summaries in search results.

Google said it is introducing “new resources, insights and controls for website owners” to help them adapt to changes in how people discover information through generative AI.

The company said it is testing a new feature that allows publishers to manage how their links and content appear in generative AI search tools. Sites that opt out would not receive traffic from AI Overviews and AI Mode, according to Google, although traditional search listings would not be affected.

Google also said it is increasing the number of links included in AI-generated responses and rolling out new analytics tools for publishers.

Under the new rules, the CMA said Google must ensure that publisher content, including news material, is properly attributed in AI-generated search results, with clear and visible links.

“Google has recently announced changes to its search business and the requirements we’ve introduced today are designed to respond to what Google is doing now and in the future,” CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said.

Google is facing growing regulatory scrutiny globally, including in the United States and the European Union. The company said in March that it is developing additional search controls to address UK competition concerns.

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