Google is exploring compensation for publishers in AI-driven search results.

Google has kicked off a pilot initiative that compensates publishers for their roles in enhancing its AI-driven search functionalities. This program reportedly involves about 100 publishers and comes amid growing concerns regarding how these AI features affect web traffic.

The pilot, which started less than a year ago, has been highlighted as a way for Google to pay participating publishers based on the contribution of their content to AI Overviews, AI Mode in Search, and the Gemini chatbot. One publisher that joined early on reportedly made over $1 million in a year, while another that signed up a few months later has seen earnings between $50,000 and $60,000.

These AI-centric changes to Google’s search have sparked not only backlash and legal challenges from publishers but also scrutiny from regulators worldwide. In June, the UK mandated that Google must allow publishers to opt out of its AI search features, while the European Union has launched an investigation into the effects on web traffic and has recently instructed Google to implement changes to its search engine.