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Google is facing criticism for its restrictive approach to publisher control over content used in its AI-powered search features. Leaked documents from the ongoing US antitrust trial reveal that Google has opted against offering granular controls to publishers, forcing them to choose between full participation in Search and complete opt-out if they wish to prevent their content from being incorporated into AI Overviews. This decision, according to the internal documents, stems from Google’s view of AI Search as “evolving into a space for monetization.” The unrestricted access to search data gives the company a significant advantage in the rapidly developing field of AI. While Google introduced an opt-out mechanism for AI training in 2023, it doesn’t extend to AI products specifically designed for search. Critics note that Google quietly updated its information regarding publisher controls concurrent with the rollout of AI Overviews. Google defends its stance, maintaining that publishers have always retained control over content accessible to the search engine and that these new search functionalities present fresh avenues for content discovery and traffic generation. However, many publishers view the current situation as a significant power imbalance, limiting their ability to control how their content is utilized in the emerging AI-driven search landscape.