Google’s early attempt to pay websites for AI answers is struggling
Summary
Ars Technica reports that Google’s AI contribution pilot, which pays publishers when their content appears in AI-overviews, yields tiny payouts—roughly 0.1% of advertising revenue for many sites. The article explains the shift toward AI-powered search, the uncertainty of how contributions are measured, and regulatory scrutiny in the UK and EU. It highlights mixed outcomes among publishers, with some small sites barely earning anything and a few larger publishers earning meaningful sums.