UK publishers gain new power to block Google AI from using their work

British news outlets and other publishers now have the legal right to stop Google from using their content to train artificial intelligence models or to generate AI-powered search summaries. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the new rules on Tuesday, saying they give publishers real control over how their material appears in Google’s search results.

Under the requirements, Google must allow publishers to opt out of having their articles used to build and fine-tune AI systems. It also has to clearly attribute publisher content in AI-generated search summaries, using visible links. The CMA said this will help rebuild consumer trust and give publishers leverage when negotiating licensing deals with the tech giant.

The move follows the CMA’s decision to designate Google as having strategic market status in general search services, a step that allows the regulator to impose targeted conduct requirements. The agency first floated the idea of an AI opt-out back in January.

Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s chief executive, said the rules are designed to keep pace with Google’s recent changes to its search business. She added that the regulator will monitor Google’s compliance closely and plans to announce further actions in the coming weeks.

The decision gives UK publishers a stronger hand in an era when AI tools increasingly rely on their reporting and analysis. For Google, it means operating under stricter oversight in one of its most important markets.