The United Kingdom has proposed new digital competition rules that would allow websites to refuse permission for their content to be used in Google’s artificial intelligence-powered search summaries, marking a significant shift in how online material can be accessed and repurposed by large technology platforms.

The proposal, put forward by the Competition and Markets Authority, aims to strengthen the bargaining position of publishers and content creators as AI-generated answers increasingly appear at the top of search results.

Under the plan, websites would be able to opt out of Google’s AI-generated overviews without being forced to disappear from standard search listings.

At present, publishers who do not want their content used to train or populate AI search features risk losing visibility altogether, a trade-off that many media organisations and businesses say undermines their ability to attract readers and generate revenue.

The regulator’s move reflects growing concern that AI summaries can divert traffic away from original sources by providing users with answers directly on search pages.

Publishers argue this weakens incentives to produce high-quality content and concentrates economic power further in the hands of dominant platforms.

The proposed rules are designed to ensure greater transparency, fair treatment in search rankings, and meaningful choice for content owners.

Google has said it will engage with the consultation process and has highlighted the role of AI features in improving user experience.

However, the company has cautioned that regulatory changes should avoid fragmenting search services or reducing their usefulness for consumers.

The consultation is part of the UK’s broader effort to apply tougher oversight to firms with significant market power under its new digital markets framework.

If adopted, the measures would place the UK among the first countries to formally give websites the right to refuse participation in AI search products while maintaining access to traditional search traffic, potentially setting a precedent for how AI and online publishing are governed in other jurisdictions.