Google has started rolling out AI-generated summaries in its Discover feed within the Google Search app for U.S. users on both iOS and Android platforms.
These summaries replace the traditional headlines and logos from individual publishers, instead displaying overlapping icons that indicate the number of cited stories, similar to the AI Overviews feature in Google Search. When users tap on these summaries, they are shown the contributing articles, with a three-line preview available before they can choose to expand for more information. A warning is also displayed, noting that these summaries are AI-generated and “can make mistakes.”
Google has confirmed that this rollout is a full launch of the feature, rather than a test. The AI-generated summaries are initially focusing on trending lifestyle topics such as sports and entertainment, aiming to assist users in deciding which pages to visit. This development follows the introduction of other AI-driven features by Google, including AI Overviews and Audio Overviews. These features have raised concerns among publishers, as they potentially reduce website traffic and referrals. By directly extracting information, AI summaries lessen the need for users to click on the original sources, potentially impacting publishers further.
