- Google proposes new controls for AI-generated search features.
- Publishers raise concerns over traffic loss and ranking fairness.
- CMA review could reshape competition in UK search market.
Google has said it is working on new tools that would allow websites to opt out of its generative AI features, as it responds to growing pressure from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority over its dominance in search.
The move comes as the CMA continues its review of Google’s position in the UK search market, where the company handles more than 90 per cent of queries. At the centre of the debate is how Google uses online content to power features such as AI Overviews and its Gemini assistant, raising questions around competition, visibility and control for publishers.
In its latest response to the regulator, Google outlined plans to give website owners more control over how their content is used in AI-driven search results, an issue that has become increasingly sensitive as generative AI reshapes how people access information.
Publishers push back on AI and rankings
The CMA had already suggested measures earlier this year that would allow publishers to opt out of having their content used in AI summaries or for training standalone AI models. It has also raised concerns about how search results are ranked and whether users are being given enough choice.
Publishers, however, appear wary of unintended consequences. The News Media Association reportedly said there needs to be stronger safeguards, warning that opting out of AI features should not affect a site’s visibility in standard search results.
The group also pointed to falling click-through rates, as more users rely on AI-generated summaries instead of visiting original websites. This shift has raised concerns about long-term traffic and revenue for news organisations.
Google warns against heavy-handed rules
Google, for its part, has pushed back on some of the proposed changes. In its submission to the CMA, the company reportedly said certain requirements could have “disproportionate and detrimental consequences” for users, publishers and businesses.
It also suggested an alternative approach to user choice. Instead of repeated pop-ups prompting users to switch search engines, Google proposed a simpler setting within devices that would allow users to change defaults more easily, arguing that frequent prompts could frustrate users.
The regulator designated Google as having “strategic market status” in October, giving it the power to impose rules aimed at improving competition. The ongoing consultation is expected to shape how search services operate in the UK, particularly as AI becomes more embedded in everyday use.
Google reportedly said it would continue working with the CMA to find what it described as practical solutions that balance innovation with fair competition.
For now, the outcome remains uncertain. What is clear is that the way search works in the UK could be heading for significant change, especially as the line between traditional search results and AI-generated answers continues to blur.
