The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ordered Google Provide publishers with tools to opt out of having their content used in AI Summaries and other AI search functions.
The CMA called this a “world first” and said it would give publishers a stronger position when negotiating content deals with Google. Google has nine months to make these changes and some controls are expected to arrive sooner.
This requirement follows Google’s recognition of having strategic status in the general search services market, allowing the CMA to enforce specific rules of conduct.
What the CMA is now demanding Google do for publishers
Under the CMA order, Google must introduce tools that allow publishers to opt out of having their content used in AI features within Search, including AI overviews. Publishers must also be able to prevent their content from being used to tune AI models.
Additionally, Google must ensure that publishers’ material is properly attributed using clear links. The company will publish compliance reports every six months for the first year.
Importantly, publishers will have the ability to prevent their material from appearing in AI search responses without removing it from traditional Google search results.
Previously, the main way to avoid AI overviews was to block Google’s crawlers completely, which also meant removing the site from normal search.
Google’s response and new AI opt-out tests in Search Console
Google says it is already testing new controls with a select group of UK website owners through Search Console. These controls allow sites to decide whether their content appears in AI overviews, AI mode, and AI overviews in Discover.
Opting out means these sites will no longer receive traffic or impressions from Google’s generative AI search features. Google emphasizes that this choice will not affect traditional search rankings.
The company is also introducing new Search Console insights that show when pages appear in AI generative search features and in which countries. According to Google, AI Overviews has more than 2.5 billion monthly active users, while AI Mode has surpassed 1 billion monthly users.
Why did editors push to exclude AI search, and what should they consider?
The order comes amid continued complaints from publishers that Google’s AI summaries respond directly to users’ questions, reducing traffic to original sources. A 2025 Pew Research Center report found that users were almost 50% less likely to click on links when AI summaries appeared, challenging Google’s claim that its summaries do not affect website traffic.
For news organizations and other publishers, the loss of referral traffic directly impacts advertising revenue and subscription conversions, making opting out of AI Overviews a significant business concern.
UK publishers considering opting out face compensation. Choosing to opt out of AI features means your content won’t be included in AI overviews or AI mode, but it also means you’ll miss out on the traffic and impressions generated by those surfaces.
Since AI overviews tend to reduce clicks on links from original sources, some publishers might consider exposure to AI to offer little traffic benefit. Others may prefer to maintain the visibility it provides.
Opting out of AI model tuning is a separate option that allows publishers to prevent their content from helping train Google models, regardless of how they choose to display AI overviews.
Timeline, UK? Scope only and open questions about search controls
Google has nine months to fully implement these changes, although some controls are expected to take effect sooner. The CMA will monitor compliance through required semi-annual reports during the first year.
Checks are currently limited to the UK under the authority of the CMA. It is unclear whether similar requirements will be adopted in other regions.
Publishers have also questioned why the default settings use their content unless they actively opt out, rather than requiring explicit consent.
