If we’re keeping score, it looks like generative AI is winning 2023. 
 

Between the almost manic, mainstream success of OpenAI’s trainable chatbot, ChatGPT, and the push by other tech giants to compete in the race to rollout their own consumer-friendly AI tools – the intersection of artificial intelligence and publishing can no longer be sidestepped or ignored, as it poses a fresh set of challenges for publishers, editors, and content creators. 
 

With the recent introduction of its Search Generative Experience (SGE), Google’s entry into the generative AI goldrush has left magazine and newspaper executives grappling with concerns over web traffic, content attribution, consumer attention, and the ever-evolving way in which consumers access information. 
 
 

Let’s take a look at what SGE means for your publication, and how you can proactively combat any negative implications it could have on your business.
 

WHAT IS SGE

Google’s recent integration of generative AI into its Search functionality has raised scrutiny among many publishing executives and editors who’ve already spent countless dollars and man-hours trying to keep up with the real-time changing dynamics of search engine algorithms and digital advertising channels. 

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) uses artificial intelligence to instantly parse the far reaches of the internet and quickly generate summaries in response to specific Search queries. Positioned by Google as a way to “take more of the work out of searching, so you’ll be able to understand a topic faster, uncover new viewpoints and insights, and get things done more easily,” SGE sounds as dubiously “helpful” as most generative AI tools aim to be, while posing a substantial risk to human professionals whose roles center around supporting those same tasks.

According to Google, after typing in a query like a personal opinion about which of two national parks to take your family of four to, an “AI-powered snapshot of key information to consider” is generated at the top of the Search page with links to “dig deeper.”
 

SOME OF THE CHALLENGES SGE POSES FOR PUBLISHERS

1. Web Traffic & Visibility: Since SGE’s design features the AI-generated summaries atop all other Search results, it has the potential to completely bury your publication and any relevant articles you have released that contain potential answers to that question. In fact, it is estimated that SGE has the potential to reduce traditional Search visibility for publishers by up to 40%. Given how reliant all businesses, including publishing, are on clicks to secure advertisers and draw in online visitors – and given the enormous sums of money companies continue to pay to achieve a high ranking on Google Search – this challenge is a substantial one. Not only does it threaten your brand’s visibility, but it also could lead to a situation in which SGE’s AI-generated summaries may suffice in quelling the user’s curiosity, effectively forfeiting a website visitor and drastically decreasing organic traffic.
2. Content Attribution & Compensation: Another significant concern for publishers and writers revolves around proper attribution and compensation for the content on which generative AI tools like SGE are trained. Publishers are rightfully seeking acknowledge as the source of information in SGE summaries and aim for fair compensation for their content, but given how new this technology is, there are no guarantees for what they can expect in terms of credit given. The question of how publishers can protect their content from being exploited by AI without affection traditional Search results still remains unanswered at this time.
3. Lack of Transparency: Many business owners and print/digital media companies have expressed frustration over the lack of transparency regarding the inner workings of the new AI-powered Search tool. The black-box nature of the AI sector leaves publishers uncertain about how to optimize their content for inclusion in SGE summaries, with one publisher noting, “We don’t know how to make sure we’re a part of it or the algorithm behind it.”
    

SOME ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS FOR NAVIGATING SGE

1. Opt-Out Tools: In response to some of these rising concerns, Google released a new tool, Google- Extended, in late September. According to the product release notes, Google-Extended is Google’s answer to “web publishers [who] want greater choice and control over how their content is used for emerging generative AI use cases.” The new product has been branded as a “a new control that web publishers can use to manage whether their sites help improve Bard and Vertex AI generative APIs, including future generations of models that power those products.” According to Google, “by using Google-Extended to control access to content on a site, a website administrator can choose whether to help these AI models become more accurate and capable over time.” While this tool appears to be a step in the right direction, in that it should allow publishers to block their content from being used to train generative AI models, publishers are still advocating for clearer options specifically tailored for SGE to ensure their visibility is maintained on traditional Search result pages.
    
2. Fair Compensation Models: Finding a sustainable solution to the issue of fair compensation and credit with SGE requires AI companies and publishers to establish and maintain fair, transparent, collaborative models. Google’s efforts to help writers and publishers understand the business model of generative AI and welcome feedback from them is a positive development, but as we’ve heard from AI leaders themselves, ongoing regulation, industry-wide discussions, and transparency are essential to a mutually beneficial future.
    
3. Enhanced Transparency & Communication: Rightfully so, publishers are calling for increased transparency and communication from tech giants like Google and OpenAI, urging the importance of clearer guidelines for how to ensure their content is considered for inclusion in SGE summaries without losing accreditation or visibility.
    

As AI continues to disrupt and reshape the digital landscape, we find ourselves at the crossroads of adaptation and preservation. Navigating the challenges posed by AI-powered Search tools requires a delicate balance between embracing innovation and safeguarding the interests of content creators and publishers. By fostering open dialogue, implementing opt-out solutions and proper accreditation, and establishing fair compensation practices, publishers and AI developers can work together to shape a future where information is not only accessible but also respects the contributions of those who create it.