A new feature that could cause a stir: Google is launching its summaries of online search results written by artificial intelligence (AI) on Wednesday July 22 in France, a development making the media fear a drop in traffic on their websites.
Concretely, users will see a few response lines displayed above certain results thanks to this tool called “AI Preview”, which arrives accompanied by an “AI mode” consisting of a conversational search which allows the user to communicate with the search engine.
Launched in many countries in 2024 and 2025, including Europeans, these features are finally arriving in France because “there were regulatory blockages that were there, which we think have been lifted”, explained the general director of Google in France, Sébastien Missoffe, referring to a “great revolution for users”.
Searches up, traffic down
The arrival of these new features could open a negotiation between the American group and the French media on their remuneration, while the sector is suffering.
It is already affected by drops in income (subscriptions, advertising, etc.) and plans to cut jobs, from Prisma Media (Capital, Femme Actuelle, Voici…) to Center France and Ebra (Le Progrès, Latest news from Alsace, etc.). At the beginning of July, Google sent a letter to the French media informing them of the launch of these new features this summer.
According to a source close to the matter, the letter sent by Google to press publishers specifies that AI summaries will also give rise to compensation under related rights. Users also have the option to opt out of having their content included in “AI Previews” and “AI Mode,” a feature introduced last month and currently only rolled out in the UK and France.
The rise of generative AI has already brought about profound economic changes for media. Several players have formed partnerships with AI companies, but some denounce the plundering of their content.
This content is blocked because you have not accepted cookies and other trackers.
I manage my choices I authorize
