Google is now showing AI-generated summaries in its Discover feed, the personalized news section inside the Google Search app on iOS and Android.
Instead of traditional headlines and publisher logos, some users in the US are seeing short AI summaries that act much like the AI Overviews already used in Google Search.
These new summaries include overlapping icons in the corner, showing how many sources were used. When tapped, these icons open a “More” page listing all the articles the summary is based on. The summaries themselves give a short, three-line preview before users need to click “See more” to read the full version. Google also includes a warning that these are AI-generated and “can make mistakes.”
The feature has been in the works for some time. In June, a known Google bug tracker named AndellDam spotted early tests of this feature in Discover. Now, a Google spokesperson has confirmed to TechCrunch that it is no longer in testing — it’s officially rolling out in the US. The summaries will mainly focus on trending lifestyle topics like entertainment and sports. Google says the goal is to help users quickly decide which articles they want to read.
But this move has raised alarms in the media industry. Publishers have already been losing web traffic as Google pulls more information directly into search results. Features like AI Overviews, AI Mode, and Audio Overviews have reduced the need for users to click on source links. With AI now summarizing stories in Discover too, even fewer readers may visit the actual websites where the content comes from.
This shift is already having real-world effects. Popular sites like Buzzfeed News, Giant Freakin Robot, Laptop Mag, and AnandTech have shut down, partly due to drops in traffic from platforms like Google. As AI replaces direct access to news sources, it could create a loop where fewer publishers remain to provide the original content AI depends on.
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