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A few weeks back, it was reported that Digital Phablet is working on enabling websites to opt out of appearing in Google’s AI-driven search features, such as AI Mode and AI Overviews. Sulina Connal, Managing Director of News and Books Partnerships for EMEA at Digital Phablet, mentioned at the FT Strategies News in the Digital Age conference that this initiative is a “massive engineering undertaking.”
According to a report from Press Gazette, Connal emphasized the importance of providing more control over how news content is displayed in search results. She explained that the company is considering more detailed controls since AI plays a central role in search functionality. She noted that developing these controls involves complex engineering challenges and that the company is deliberately approaching this to ensure the tools are simple and scalable for content management.
Connal further stated that users need better information to make informed decisions regarding AI search features, and that measuring user engagement will be key to this process. The primary goal is to craft controls that do not interfere with core search functionalities but solely manage AI-specific search features.
During the same event, Arun Venkataraman, who oversees Digital Phablet’s global industry research partnerships with the news sector, shared findings indicating that overall traffic referred from search hasn’t decreased according to internal data. Instead, he observed that referral traffic now originates from a broader array of sources. He speculated that this may be because some traffic is now directed toward newer news outlets that are more relevant in specific contexts.
Furthermore, Connal discussed an upcoming feature within the Gemini app designed to enhance user experience by highlighting links to publishers with whom users have subscriptions. This feature is expected to extend to AI Overviews and AI Mode in the future, emphasizing a focus on personalized content prioritization.
A public discussion on these developments is ongoing within forums and social media platforms, highlighting industry interest and user curiosity about how these controls and features will shape the future of search and news consumption.
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