Online publishers and news organisations can now prevent their content from being used in Google’s AI-generated search summaries in the United Kingdom, following a new measure announced by the Competition and Markets Authority.

According to the regulator, the change is designed to strengthen the bargaining position of publishers, including news organisations, when negotiating content agreements with Google.

Media companies have increasingly raised concerns that Google’s AI-generated overviews, which appear prominently at the top of search results, are reducing traffic to their websites.

As users can often obtain the information they need directly from these summaries, fewer are clicking through to the original articles, affecting publishers’ audience reach and advertising revenue.

Previously, website owners could not opt out of having their content used in AI-generated summaries without also removing themselves from Google’s standard search results.

Given Google’s dominant position in the search market, such a move would have significantly limited the visibility and discoverability of their content.

The News Media Association, which represents major UK publishers including The Guardian, welcomed the move, describing it as a significant step toward creating a more balanced and transparent digital marketplace where high-quality journalism is properly valued and fairly rewarded.

Google said it would begin testing the new feature from Wednesday with a select group of UK-based media organisations.

The tool will allow publishers to control how their links and content are used in the company’s AI-powered search features, with plans to expand the option globally over time.

The measures form part of a broader package introduced by the CMA to curb Google’s dominance in the search market.

The regulator said the changes are intended to deliver fairer outcomes for both publishers and consumers while improving the quality and transparency of search services in the UK.

Under the new requirements, Google must also ensure that content from publishers is clearly attributed in AI-generated search responses, including prominent links to original sources.

The CMA said this would help strengthen consumer confidence and ensure users can more easily access the original reporting behind AI-generated summaries.