Google is reportedly testing a pilot program that pays around 100 publishers based on how much their content contributes to AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Gemini, with some participants earning over $1 million in a year, amid regulatory scrutiny over AI search's impact on web traffic.
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Google has launched a pilot program that pays publishers for their contributions to its AI-powered search features, according <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/google-paying-100-digital-publishers-ai-overviews">to a report from <em>The Information</em></a>. The pilot program reportedly includes around 100 publishers and comes as Google faces scrutiny over the<a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/773928/google-open-web-rapid-decline"> impact of its AI features</a> on web traffic.</p>
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://digiday.com/media/google-rolls-out-pay-value-ai-licensing-program-to-publishers/"><em>Digiday</em> first reported on the pilot program</a>, 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 AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, as well as its Gemini chatbot. One publisher that joined the program when it first started earned over $1 milli …</p>
<p><a href="https://www.theverge.com/tech/1002665/google-paying-publishers-ai-search-features">Read the full story at The Verge.</a></p>
# Google reportedly tests paying publishers for AI search results
Source: [https://www.theverge.com/tech/1002665/google-paying-publishers-ai-search-features](https://www.theverge.com/tech/1002665/google-paying-publishers-ai-search-features)
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Around 100 publishers have joined Google’s pilot program, The Information reports\.
Around 100 publishers have joined Google’s pilot program, The Information reports\.
by
Sep 30, 2026, 2:51 PM UTC
Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge
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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*](https://www.theinformation.com/articles/google-paying-100-digital-publishers-ai-overviews)\. The pilot program reportedly includes around 100 publishers and comes as Google faces scrutiny over the[impact of its AI features](https://www.theverge.com/news/773928/google-open-web-rapid-decline)on web traffic\.
[*Digiday*first reported on the pilot program](https://digiday.com/media/google-rolls-out-pay-value-ai-licensing-program-to-publishers/), 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 AI Overviews and AI Mode in Search, as well as its Gemini chatbot\. One publisher that joined the program when it first started earned over $1 million in a year, while another that joined a few months ago has earned around $50,000 to $60,000,*The Information*reports\.
Google’s AI\-focused search changes have not only drawn criticism[and lawsuits](https://www.theverge.com/news/619051/chegg-google-ai-overviews-monopoly)[from publishers](https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/777788/rolling-stone-penske-media-sue-google-ai-overviews), but also from[regulators around the globe](https://www.theverge.com/tech/942302/google-search-ai-overviews-uk-cma-publisher-opt-out)\. In June, the[UK ruled that Google](https://www.theverge.com/tech/942302/google-search-ai-overviews-uk-cma-publisher-opt-out)must allow publishers to opt out of appearing in AI search features, while the European Union opened[an investigation](https://www.theverge.com/news/840547/google-zero-eu-antitrust-investigation-ai-content)into its impact on web traffic and[recently ordered](https://www.theverge.com/tech/943866/google-alphabet-eu-dma-fine-search-services-play-store-steering)it to make changes to its search engine\.
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Google's pilot program paying about 100 websites for contributions to AI Overviews is struggling, with tiny payments and unclear attribution, while publishers push back via lawsuits and regulators in the UK and EU demand opt-out options and fair compensation.
Google introduces a 'Preferred Sources' button to help publishers combat traffic losses from AI-powered search, allowing readers to mark favorite sources for prioritized content in Search, Discover, and News. Additionally, Google is adding natural language customization for Discover feed and audio briefings.
Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode, powered by Gemini, have become the default global standard in search, reaching 2.5 billion monthly active users and fundamentally disrupting web traffic and ad revenue for publishers.
Google's AI Overviews have grown from appearing in 15% of searches to 43% in one year, and AI Mode visits doubled, indicating a rapid shift toward AI-powered search as the default, which is impacting publisher referral traffic.
The UK has imposed legal guardrails requiring Google to allow publishers to opt out of AI search features like AI Overviews and AI Mode, giving publishers control over their content in generative AI search results.