Google has begun introducing AI-generated summaries in its Discover news feed within the Google search app on iOS and Android. Rather than just showing headlines from a single publication, users will now see multiple news logos at the top-left corner accompanied by an AI-created summary citing those sources. The app warns users that the summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors.
Current Availability and Focus
The feature is currently rolling out in the U.S. for trending lifestyle topics such as sports and entertainment. Google confirmed this is a formal launch, not a test, aiming to help users better decide which articles to read. The AI summaries are not yet appearing on all news stories in Discover.
Besides these summaries, Google is also experimenting with other formats, such as bullet points beneath headlines and grouping related stories. For example, a story on President Donald Trump’s Ukraine deal might be linked with related coverage, and some articles include concise bullet-point summaries to aid quick understanding.
Many major publishers, including The Wall Street Journal, Yahoo, Bloomberg, and USA Today, have been experimenting with AI-generated content and summaries on their own platforms. Startups like Particle use AI not only to summarize news but also to provide multiple perspectives and answer follow-up questions for deeper context.
Despite these innovations, the publishing industry is concerned about declining website traffic and referral rates. AI features like Google’s AI Overviews and chatbot-style AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT) allow users to get information without visiting original sites. This trend threatens publishers’ traditional revenue models based on page views and advertising.
Efforts to Support Publishers
To address these challenges, Google introduced Offerwall, which lets publishers explore alternative revenue streams beyond ad-based models. Through Google Ad Manager, publishers can offer micropayments, surveys, newsletter sign-ups, or video ads as ways for users to access content.
However, many publishers feel these measures are coming too late, as traffic declines have already accelerated. Recent data from Similarweb cited by The Economist shows a 15% year-over-year drop in global search traffic as of June. Additionally, the share of news searches without click-throughs to news websites has risen from 56% in May 2024 to nearly 69% by May 2025.
While Google Discover remained a relatively stable source of traffic amid declining Google Search visits, the broader rollout of AI summaries could further reduce clicks to publishers.
What The Author Thinks
AI-generated news summaries promise convenience and faster access to information, but they risk hollowing out the very foundation of journalism: direct audience engagement. Publishers’ survival depends on balancing innovation with protecting their traffic and revenue streams. If AI tools become a substitute for visiting news sites rather than a complement, the industry’s financial health could face irreversible damage. The challenge ahead is finding ways for AI to enhance rather than replace the value publishers provide.
Featured image credit: BM Amaro via Pexels
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