Google deepens publisher AI partnerships to balance innovation and support for creators. On December 10, 2025, the company expands its Preferred Sources feature globally for English users and launches a pilot program testing AI-powered tools with major publishers. These moves boost user customization, highlight paid subscriptions, and drive traffic to news sites amid AI-driven changes in search.
Google reports strong engagement from early tests: users select nearly 90,000 unique sources and click preferred sites twice as often. The updates enhance links in AI Mode and prioritize subscribed content, helping publishers reach paying audiences.
Key Features in Google’s Publisher AI Partnerships Pilot

Google pilots commercial deals to explore AI’s role in audience growth. Participating publishers test new tools in Google News.
- AI-powered article overviews provide context on publication pages with clear attribution and links.
- Audio briefings offer listening options for articles.
- Subscription highlighting prioritizes paid content in a dedicated carousel, starting in the Gemini app soon.
- More inline links in AI Mode include contextual explanations for relevance.
- Web Guide organizes topics faster, appearing in more searches.
Pilot partners include:
- Der Spiegel
- El País
- Folha de S. Paulo
- Infobae
- Kompas
- The Guardian
- The Times of India
- The Washington Examiner
- The Washington Post
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Separate deals with Estadão, Antara, Yonhap, and The Associated Press supply real-time info for Gemini.
Preferred Sources rolls out now for English users worldwide, with full language support in early 2026. Google partners with over 3,000 publications in 50+ countries.
These publisher AI partnerships address concerns about AI impacting traffic. Publishers gain compensation and engagement tools, while users enjoy personalized, reliable news. The strategy supports a healthy web ecosystem as AI evolves search.
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