• by Laurie Sullivan , Yesterday

Google is looking to launch a pilot program with about 20 national news organizations. The project is related to artificial intelligence (AI), monetization and compensation, according to the report.

"We’ve said that we’re exploring and experimenting with new types of partnerships and product experiences, but we aren't sharing details about specific plans or conversations at this time," a Google spokesperson told MediaPost.

Specific details about the program -- and the terms of these partnerships -- have not been disclosed by Google or Bloomberg, which initially reported on the project.

The report alludes to packages for the use of news content. News organizations have expressed concerns about the impact of AI on publishing such as changes to revenue streams and the use of content without proper attribution.

Publishers continue to negotiate with Google, but last week the advertising and search giant began rolling out AI summaries in the Discover feed, the main newsfeed inside Google’s search app on iOS and Android.

Rather than seeing a headline from a publication, users will see multiple news publisher logos in the top-left corner, followed by an AI-generated summary that cites those sources.

The summaries are generated with AI, but may provide a hint to Google’s recently reported project with publishers.

The feature will appear on iOS and Android in the U.S., with a focus on trending lifestyle topics such as sports and entertainment. The idea is to make it easier for users to decide which pages to click through and visit.

For years, Google has been trying to create a revenue-share program with publishers.

In June, Google’s publishing partners gained a way to monetize content beyond traditional ads using Google Ad Manager.

Offerwall rolled out in general availability to help publishers generate revenue while providing audiences with choices to access content.

About 1,000 publishers provided insight and feedback to help Google develop the service, which now allows audiences to choose how they engage in a variety of ways.

For example, they can watch a short ad, complete a quick survey, or make small payments. When a user completes a chosen task, publishers and developers earn revenue.

Google’s AI affects more than news publishers. New analysis finds Google’s top organic click-through rates (CTR) fell from 28% to 19% following the expansion of AI Overviews.

The recently published data from GrowthSRC Media suggests that a 32% drop correlates with the expansion of AI Overviews, a feature in many search results.

Position No. 2 in search results experienced a steeper decline, with CTRs falling 39% from 20.83% to 12.60% year-over-year, according to one report.

GrowthSRC’s research analyzed more than 200,000 keywords from 30 websites across ecommerce, SaaS, B2B, and EdTech industries.