Key Takeaways:
- The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is proposing changes to Google’s search services to give businesses and consumers more choice.
- The proposals include allowing publishers to "opt out" of their content being used in Google’s AI Overviews or to train standalone AI models.
- The CMA aims to balance choice with search experience and ensure fair and transparent ranking of search results.
- Google is exploring updates to let sites opt out of search generative AI features, but warns against breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience.
- A consultation on the proposals will close on February 25.
Introduction to the Proposal
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has proposed changes to Google’s search services to give businesses and consumers more choice. This move comes after the CMA designated Google with "strategic market status" in October, giving the CMA the power to take measures to increase competition in the sector. Google, which accounts for more than 90% of search queries in Britain, uses content harvested by its search crawler to build its AI Overviews and AI models, as well as standalone products like its Gemini AI assistant. The CMA’s proposals aim to shift the balance by allowing publishers to "opt out" of Google’s AI features without affecting their position in general searches.
The Impact on Publishers
News websites and other publishers have seen click-through rates drop sharply as a result of users relying on overviews generated with the help of AI. The CMA wants to address this issue by giving publishers more control over how their content is used in Google’s AI Overviews. By allowing publishers to "opt out" of Google’s AI features, the CMA hopes to provide a fairer deal for content publishers, particularly news organizations. This move is expected to benefit publishers who have seen a decline in traffic and revenue due to the rise of AI-generated overviews.
Google’s Response
Google has responded to the proposals by stating that people are changing how they search and its AI Overviews are helping them discover new content. The company claims that it provides publishers with a range of controls and is "exploring updates" to let sites opt out of search generative AI features. However, Google warns that any new controls need to avoid breaking search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people. Ron Eden, Google’s principal for product management, stated that the company is optimistic about finding a path forward that provides even more choice to website owners and publishers while ensuring people continue to get the most helpful and innovative search experience possible.
The CMA’s Goals
The CMA’s chief executive, Sarah Cardell, stated that the proposed changes would give UK businesses and consumers more choice and control. The CMA aims to ensure that the ranking of search results is fair and transparent and make it easier for people to choose other search engines. The proposals are part of the CMA’s efforts to increase competition in the search market and provide a level playing field for all players. By giving publishers more control over their content and providing users with more choices, the CMA hopes to create a more competitive and innovative search market.
The Road Ahead
A consultation on the proposals will close on February 25, allowing stakeholders to provide their feedback and suggestions. The CMA will then review the responses and make a final decision on the proposals. If implemented, the changes could have a significant impact on the search market and the way Google operates in the UK. The proposals are a significant development in the ongoing debate about the role of AI in search and the need for greater transparency and control over how content is used. As the search landscape continues to evolve, it will be important to monitor the outcome of the consultation and the impact of the proposed changes on the search market.
