Google launches pilot of AI-powered article overviews on select news

Only participating outlets' Google News pages will feature the new AI overviews

Google is expanding its push into AI-generated news presentation with a new pilot programme that brings AI-powered article overviews to select publications' Google News pages, the company announced Wednesday.

The initiative from Google is part of a broader commercial partnership programme and designed to "explore how AI can drive more engaged audiences."

"It's clear that the web and technology are evolving; people want information faster, they want more context to help them sort through it, and they're looking for authentic connections with creators and sources they trust," Google said in a blog post.

A wide range of international news organisations have opted into the programme, including Der Spiegel, El País, Kompas, Folha, Infobae, The Washington Post, The Washington Examiner, The Guardian, and The Times of India, among others.

Only participating outlets' Google News pages will feature the new AI overviews; they will not appear elsewhere in Google News or in Search.

The summaries are designed to give readers additional context before clicking through to full articles. Although Google acknowledges that the feature may reduce overall click-through rates, participating publishers will receive direct compensation, a key component of the commercial partnership meant to offset potential traffic declines.

Building on earlier AI news features

This isn't Google's first attempt to incorporate AI into news aggregation.

In July, the company added AI-generated story summaries to Discover, its main news feed inside the Google search app. That update shifted the user experience away from displaying a single headline toward showing logos from multiple outlets and an AI-generated recap citing those sources.

The new pilot expands on that vision while experimenting with new formats, including AI-generated audio briefings for users who prefer listening to the news.

Google says that all AI-generated elements will include clear attribution and direct links to the underlying reporting.

As part of the initiative, Google is deepening its collaboration with organisations such as Estadão, Antara, Yonhap, and The Associated Press to improve real-time coverage and enhance results surfaced in the Gemini app, the company's AI-driven information platform.

Preferred sources feature rolls out globally

Alongside the pilot announcement, Google revealed the global launch of its Preferred Sources feature, which debuted in the US and India in August. The tool lets users choose favourite news outlets and blogs that will receive priority placement in the Top Stories section of search results.

The feature will reach English-language users worldwide in the coming days, with availability expanding to all supported languages early next year. Google will soon spotlight links from users' existing news subscriptions in a dedicated carousel within the Gemini app.

The display will later incorporate AI Overviews and AI Mode, providing users more personalised access to the stories they pay for.

At the same time, Google is increasing the number of inline links shown in AI Mode and adding "contextual introductions" – brief explanations clarifying why an embedded link may be relevant.

The new initiative comes as the EU this week launched an antitrust investigation into Google's use of online content to develop AI technologies. The European Commission said it is assessing whether the company violated the bloc's competition rules by drawing on material from web publishers and creators across its platforms, including YouTube, without fair compensation or proper authorisation.

The inquiry is initially focused on Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode features.

The Commission will examine whether these tools depend on publisher content in ways that publishers cannot meaningfully refuse without risking reduced visibility in Google Search.