Google tests paying publishers for using its content in AI Mode, AI Overviews and Gemini

Google is running a pilot where it is paying some publishers for using their content within its AI features such as AI Mode, AI Overviews and Gemini. This is called AI Contribution and is a Search Console feature offered to a limited number of publishers while Google tests it.

“Google has been quietly scaling a pay-per-value AI licensing scheme for publishers, ” Digiday reported this morning. Google “has been quietly testing a Search Console-based program that pays publishers when their content “significantly” contributes to AI-generated responses across Gemini, AI Overviews and AI mode, according to multiple industry sources close to the situation,” they added.

I actually spotted this AI contribution report back in April but I had no idea it was Google paying publishers for using their content.

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot of the sign up screen in Search Console that some publishers see:

Yes, it says “Start earning with AI contribution pilot. Accumulate earnings when your content contributes significantly to AI-generated responses in participating products.”

The help document, which I do not have access to was also screen captured and says:

Confirmed by Google. When I first reached out to Google about this report back in April, Google would not respond. But now, Google has confirmed this. “Google confirmed the scheme is an early-stage learning pilot to test how best to reward high-quality content, on top of the traffic and tools it already provides,” Digiday wrote.

“Digiday has learned that at least dozens of publishers have been approached by Google for the AI contribution pilot, though the program has been more appealing to small and mid-sized, rather than large publishers and has widened far beyond news publishers. Digiday couldn’t get final confirmation of the number,” they added.

Why we care. Publishers have been asking Google to compensate them for using its content within Gemini, AI Mode, AI Overviews and more AI features. Well, Google seems to be testing just doing that. Will Google roll this out more widely? Will the compensation be enough? It is hard to know, this is only a pilot, a test, right now but time will tell.