NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume news. Google and other tech companies are experimenting with generative AI, which uses past data to create new content. Google recently introduced a new search tool called Search Generative Experience (SGE), powered by AI, which generates summaries in response to search queries. These summaries appear at the top of Google search results, providing users with a brief overview and links to explore further.

While this may seem like a convenient feature for users, it has raised concerns among publishers who worry about the impact on web traffic and the accuracy of these summaries. Publishers also want to ensure that they are properly credited as the source of information and are seeking compensation for their content, which is used to train AI models. In response, Google has developed a tool called Google-Extended, which allows publishers to block their content from being used by AI.

However, publishers remain uncertain about how SGE works and how they can ensure their content appears in the summaries. They are concerned that the prominence of these summaries may reduce traffic to their websites and affect their advertising revenue. Nevertheless, Google maintains that the purpose of SGE is to highlight web content and support a healthy, open web.

It remains to be seen how SGE will impact the news industry and the relationship between publishers and tech companies like Google. While the convenience of AI-generated summaries may be appealing to users, publishers are grappling with the challenges of adapting to this new technology. As AI continues to evolve, both publishers and tech companies will need to find a balance that benefits all parties involved.

Overall, the introduction of generative AI and the SGE tool by Google represents a significant development in the way we consume news. Publishers and tech companies must navigate the complexities of this new landscape to ensure a sustainable future for the industry.