Google is now testing summarizing the stories listed on Google Discover with generative AI. Some are calling this adding AI Overviews to Google Discover, which I guess is about the same thing. Of course, publishers may be worried that these AI summaries will reduce clicks from Google Discover.
This was spotted by Scott McNeal of Discover Snoop who posted screenshots over here and on X - he wrote, "Google Quietly Testing AI Overviews in Discover." Here are the screenshots, the one on the left shows the default view and then on the right, it shows what happens when you click on "more."
Lily Ray wrote on X, Which one of you recently commented “wait until Google starts testing AI Overviews in Google Discover”? Because… they are now."
Google Discover is one of the main sources of traffic for publishers these days but maybe these will result in a huge drop in clicks? I am not sure.
Forum discussion at X.
