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In a recent update, Google made it clear that their search results would not tolerate “generative AI spam”, according to Insider Intelligence. While this update would seem to cast a shadow on use of AI-generated content at all, the reality is much more nuanced.
In fact, Insider Intelligence’s Sara Lebow reports that this change will be generally positive for people who use AI “responsibly”, including employing AI for editing services or the creation of aggregate reviews rather than simply churning out content. In other words, anyone who uses AI to enhance customer satisfaction or site content at a reasonable, uninflated rate should be in good shape to continue best practices.
That said, some experts believe that any content that has been touched by AI may see some short-term side effects while Google “refines its algorithm”, writes Lebow, though paid search ads will benefit from a 12.4 percent increase–so it’s not all bad.
AI-generated content is, often enough, sufficient in meeting basic content requirements, and advanced applications can check some pretty convincing boxes. Unfortunately, this kind of content also tends to lack a human element, and AI responses are littered with inaccuracies. For these reasons, Google’s update seems to prioritize–and, ultimately, reward–writing that, regardless of AI influence, has been revised and updated by human beings.
It’s also worth noting that Google’s crusade here should serve to make search results less obnoxious in both the immediate and distant future. Per Lebow, Google “can identify content that summarizes existing content and websites creating content at an unreasonable scale,” comprising the bulk of undesirable SEO practices.
Google will similarly reportedly target site reputation and expired domain abuse, both of which entail dumping low-quality content at a high rate. This hits at the core principle that, again, Google appears to be interested in preventing: low-quality, possibly inaccurate, and generally useless information rising to the top of search results and polluting its own AI generation.
Simply put, using tools like ChatGPT to outline, streamline, and supplement what one would usually add to a blog or a FAQ is completely reasonable–after all, tools are meant to be used as such. Google’s changes will only affect inappropriate and egregious content farms, at least for now.
