Google reportedly tests paying publishers for AI search results

Around 100 publishers have joined Google’s pilot program, The Information reports.

by Emma Roth

Sep 30, 2026, 2:51 PM UTC

Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

Google has launched a pilot program that pays publishers for their contributions to its AI-powered search features, according to a report from The Information. The pilot program reportedly includes around 100 publishers and comes as Google faces scrutiny over the impact of its AI features on web traffic.

Digiday first reported on the pilot program, which began less than a year ago. As part of the test, Google is reportedly paying participating publishers for how much their content contributed to the AI Overviews and AI Mode features in Search, as well as its Gemini...

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