UK regulator orders Google to let publishers opt out of AI search summaries

Summary

The UK Competition and Markets Authority has ordered Google to implement tools that allow UK publishers to opt out of having their content used in AI Overviews in Search. Publishers can prevent their material from appearing in AI-generated search responses while maintaining visibility in standard search results. Google must also enable opt-outs for content used to fine-tune AI models and ensure clear attribution via links. The CMA described this as a world-first requirement, set a nine-month implementation timeline, and mandated compliance reports every six months during the first year. Google is currently testing these controls with a subset of publishers.