Google Reportedly Piloting Payments to Publishers for AI Search
In one line: Google is reportedly running a pilot that pays publishers for the content feeding its AI search features.
Key points
- Per a report from The Information, Google has started a pilot that compensates publishers for contributions to its AI-powered search features.
- The program is said to include roughly 100 publishers.
- Digiday first reported on the pilot's existence.
- The move comes as Google faces scrutiny over how its AI features affect web traffic.
Why it matters
As AI summaries increasingly dominate the top of search results, publishers worry about shrinking referral clicks. Direct payments from Google — if confirmed — could help set a precedent for how content creators are compensated in the AI era.