London, 28 January 2026 – Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is proposing new rules to give businesses and content publishers greater control over how their material is used in AI-generated summaries and similar artificial intelligence features in Google Search, a move aimed at addressing competition concerns and helping content creators protect their traffic and visibility.
Under the CMA’s proposals, Google would be required to allow websites and publishers to “opt out” of having their content included in AI Overviews, the generative AI summaries that appear at the top of some search results, without removing those sites from general search results. This change is intended to give publishers more choice over how their content is used in AI services and to help preserve click-through traffic that can be lost when users rely on AI summaries instead of visiting original sources.
The proposals come after the CMA designated Google with “strategic market status” in October, giving the regulator new powers to impose conduct requirements designed to boost competition and fairness in digital markets, particularly where dominant platforms have outsized influence. As part of this digital markets regime, the CMA is also seeking greater transparency in search result rankings and ways to make it easier for consumers to select alternative search engines.
CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said the proposed changes would provide UK businesses and consumers with “more choice and control” over how they interact with Google’s search services and help ensure a fairer deal for content creators, especially news publishers whose traffic and revenue have been disrupted by AI-generated summaries. The consultation on these measures will remain open until 25 February 2026.
Google responded by noting that search behaviour is evolving, with users increasingly relying on AI tools to discover content, and said it already offers some controls for publishers. The company said it is “exploring updates” to give websites the ability to opt out of AI features, but also warned that any new controls must be designed carefully so they do not fragment or confuse the search experience for users.
The CMA’s approach reflects broader global scrutiny of AI in search and digital services, where regulators are seeking to balance innovation with competitive fairness and content-owner rights amid concerns that dominant platforms can leverage publisher content without adequate compensation or control.
