A new report details how Google is testing paying web publishers for content used in its AI Overviews, including how much they’re making and how much that varies.
Google’s AI Overviews have drastically reshaped the web, and it’s hard to argue that it hasn’t harmed publishers across the web. Traffic is down almost universally, though Google insists AI isn’t to blame. Still, Google’s AI Overviews and other AI responses rely on publishers around the web to continue operating, something that’s increasingly difficult to do.
Following a report earlier this month, The Informationis now offering a few more details on Google’s test to directly pay web publishers when their content is used in AI Overviews.
The company is apparently paying around 100 digital publishers including “small to midsize blogs and websites.” Revenue seems to vary wildly, though. For some, it amounts to “less than one-tenth of 1% of their advertising revenue.” Some “smaller sites” have apparently earned less than $1,000 over several months, where another publisher that “joined a few months ago” has already made around $50,000-60,000 so far, “which doesn’t represent that much of its business.” Yet, another publisher said that a “bigger slice” was covered with Google’s payments earning “more than $1 million a year.”
The test, as previously reported, gives publishers insights into how often AI Overviews leverage their content. What’s not yet clear is how Google determines how much a publisher is paid, with some finding that “less widely covered” topics that “draw strong user interest” currently earn more, with examples including anime and gaming.
It’s still unclear if Google plans to expand this program, but The Information reiterates that Google “needs these web publishers to stay active” for its models and answers to stay current and accurate.
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