Google rolls out AI summaries in Discover feed

Google has begun implementing AI-generated summaries in its Discover news feed, marking another significant shift in how users consume news content on mobile devices, according to TechCrunch.

The feature, which is currently live across the United States, replaces traditional single headlines from major publications with a new format displaying multiple news publishers' logos in the top-left corner, accompanied by AI-generated summaries that cite those sources.

Google has made it clear that these summaries are produced by artificial intelligence and includes a warning that the technology "can make mistakes." The search giant told TechCrunch that the feature is designed to help users decide which pages they want to visit.

The rollout is not universal, with only selected stories in Discover receiving the AI summary treatment. In other cases, users will encounter different formats, including bullet points beneath headlines or collections of similar articles grouped together.

However, the development has intensified concerns within the publishing industry about the impact of AI on website traffic and referrals. Features such as Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode mean users no longer need to visit websites directly to obtain answers to their search queries, as information can be summarised automatically or delivered through a chatbot-style interface.

This trend extends beyond Google, with similar patterns observed across other AI applications, including ChatGPT and Perplexity.

In response to growing publisher concerns, Google recently launched Offerwall, a feature allowing publishers to generate revenue through methods beyond traditional traffic-dependent advertising. Through Offerwall, publishers using Google Ad Manager can experiment with alternative access methods, including micropayments, user surveys, newsletter sign-ups, and advertisement viewing.

The introduction of AI summaries in Discover represents the latest challenge for news publishers already grappling with declining traffic from search engines and the broader implications of AI-driven content consumption.