U.K. Watchdog Proposes Opt-Out Feature on Google AI Overviews
In Focus
- Google’s opt-out of AI model training gives users an informed choice
- Generative AI in search affects web traffic and revenue for publishers
- Consultations between Google and CMA will run until late February 2025
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed several measures to push Google into enabling individual users and enterprises to make informed choices when using search services. According to Gadgets360, the U.K. watchdog wants the search giant to allow publishers to opt out of Google AI Overviews and AI model training.
AI Search Affects Publisher Traffic
According to the U.K regulator, AI summaries cause public traffic decline. Content and news publishers view generative AI as a threat to web traffic and revenue. This is because AI-powered search tools respond to queries directly instead of pushing users to original sources.
According to the CMA, the new measures include ensuring that publishers get a fair deal in the way content is used in AI search summaries. The competition watchdog said it was consulting Google on different proposals and requirements.
“Today is an important milestone as we consult on the first conduct requirements under the digital markets competition regime in the U.K,” Chief Executive of the CMA, Sarah Cardell said as stated in a website post.
The CMA further said the targeted actions would unlock “greater opportunities for innovation across the U.K. tech sector and broader economy.” According to the watchdog, Google Search accounts for over 90% of general search queries in the U.K. Last year alone, more than 200,000 businesses spent over 10 billion pounds in ads.
U.K. Regulators Push for Publisher Attrition
In addition to Google AI Overviews opt-out, the CMA is also pushing for clear attribution of publisher content in AI results and more transparency in search rankings.
“Google will also be required to take practical steps to ensure publisher content is properly attributed in AI results,” the CMA stated.
On fair ranking, the CMA seeks to ensure that, “Google’s approach to ranking search results is fair and transparent for businesses, with an effective process for raising and investigating issues. Google will be required to demonstrate to the CMA and its users that it ranks search results fairly, including in its AI Overviews and AI Mode.”
Other measures that the watchdog will be consulting Google about include data portability obligations and search engine choice screens on Chrome and Android. The CMA argues that data portability would allow individuals and enterprises to utilize search data. The regulator also says screen choice will enable users to switch between search services.
Google’s Take on New Measures
With Overview continuing to challenge business growth, the U.S. tech giant has described the relationship between AI and search as complex. The company has also warned that rigid controls could affect user experience. Consultations between Google and the U.K. competition watchdog will run until late February 2025. The outcome of these consultations is expected to determine how AI-powered search operates in Britain.
