Google Exploring Ways To Allow Sites To Opt Out Of AI Overviews & AI Mode

Google just announced it is looking into ways to allow websites to specifically opt out of Google using its content in the Search generative AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode. This comes based on UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new requirements for Google Search – the CMA posted more here.

These new requirements include ways for Google to “provide to websites to manage their content in Search AI features.”

Google said, “we’re now exploring updates to our controls to let sites specifically opt out of Search generative AI features.” This will be based on how they allow sites to control how their sites show up for featured snippets and Google Extended, which does not impact search AI features.

Google added, “Our goal is to protect the helpfulness of Search for people who want information quickly, while also giving websites the right tools to manage their content. We look forward to engaging in the CMA’s process and will continue discussions with website owners and other stakeholders on this topic.”

Google made it clear that the new controls “need to avoid breaking Search in a way that leads to a fragmented or confusing experience for people. As AI increasingly becomes a core part of how people find information, any new controls also need to be simple and scalable for website owners.”

The CMA wrote, “To provide certainty for stakeholders, the CMA published possible measures it might take in a roadmap in June 2025. The CMA is now consulting on the proposed conduct requirements below. The measures have been designed to support innovation and growth, ensuring people benefit from a high-quality digital experience:”

• Publisher controls: Making sure content publishers get a fairer deal by giving them more choice and transparency over how their content is used in Google’s AI Overviews. Publishers will be able to opt out of their content being used to power AI features such as AI Overviews or to train AI models outside of Google search. Google will also be required to take practical steps to ensure publisher content is properly attributed in AI results.
• Fair ranking: Making sure Google’s approach to ranking search results is fair and transparent for businesses, with an effective process for raising and investigating issues. Google will be required to demonstrate to the CMA and its users that it ranks search results fairly, including in its AI Overviews and AI Mode.
• Choice screens: Making it easier for people to switch the search services they use by making default choice screens on Android mobiles a legal requirement and introducing choice screens on the Chrome browser.
• Data portability: Making it easier for people and businesses to make use of Google search data.

I am looking forward to giving content creators, publishers and site owners more control over how search engines can use your content. I mean, Google already thought of ways but went with the least helpful option. I guess this is back on the table.

Forum discussion at X.

If you are on X, take my poll:

Would you block Google from using your content for AI Overviews and AI Mode – Google may be giving us more controls – take my poll below. https://t.co/60M3Vt0YlN

— Barry Schwartz (@rustybrick) January 28, 2026