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Google ordered to put clearer links in AI search and let UK publishers opt out

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ordered Google to modify its AI-generated search results by ensuring publishers are clearly attributed and that publishers can opt out of AI-grounded features. The CMA calls this a world-first step, requiring Google to provide effective opt-out controls at directory and page levels, and to publish compliance reports with data on how changes are implemented. Google will also extend its Search Console to supply publishers with impressions data and information about pages that appear in AI responses, with testing beginning in a UK subset before broader rollout. The nine-month deadline signals a firm regulatory stance on how AI-grounded search should ground its answers in verifiable sources, aiming to bolster consumer trust and empower publishers to negotiate licensing deals. Google has indicated it will comply and continue experimenting with link designs to balance attribution and usability. The CMA emphasizes that transparency over attribution is essential for publishers to assess the use of their content in AI features and to understand how responses are sourced. Regulators see this as a significant shift in how AI is integrated into search and may set a precedent for future oversight of AI-driven content grounding.