The Information reports that approximately 100 publishers have joined Google’s pilot program.
Google has launched a pilot program that compensates publishers for their contributions to AI-powered search features, according to a report from The Information. The initiative includes about 100 participants and coincides with growing scrutiny regarding the impact of Google’s AI features on web traffic.
Digiday first reported on the pilot program, which began less than a year ago. Under this test, Google pays publishers based on the contribution of their content to AI Overviews, AI Mode features in Search, and the Gemini chatbot. One publisher who joined early earned over $1 million in a year, while another who joined several months ago has earned between $50,000 and $60,000, The Information reports.
Google’s AI-focused search changes have triggered criticism, lawsuits, and regulatory action worldwide. In June, the UK mandated that Google allow publishers to opt out of AI search features, and the European Union recently opened an investigation into the impact on web traffic before ordering changes to the search engine.
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