By Ben Schoon
Publication Date: 2026-09-30 20:30:00
A new report details how Google is testing paying web publishers for content used in its AI Overviews, including how much they’re making and how much that varies.
Google’s AI Overviews have drastically reshaped the web, and it’s hard to argue that it hasn’t harmed publishers across the web. Traffic is down almost universally, though Google insists AI isn’t to blame. Still, Google’s AI Overviews and other AI responses rely on publishers around the web to continue operating, something that’s increasingly difficult to do.
Following a report earlier this month, The Information is now offering a few more details on Google’s test to directly pay web publishers when their content is used in AI Overviews.
The company is apparently paying around 100 digital publishers including “small to midsize blogs and websites.” Revenue seems to vary wildly, though. For some, it amounts to “less than one-tenth of 1% of their advertising revenue.” Some…
