Google Discover has taken a sharp turn toward integrating AI-driven tools to shape how we consume content. This shift isn't just about ease of use; it's about training users to rely on automated summaries and conversational interactions to dive deeper into web articles. As an entrepreneur and founder with a keen understanding of evolving tech landscapes, I find this direction intriguing but concerning for publishers. Could AI Mode reshape reader behavior so intensely that original content loses its meaning and value?
Here's the foundation. Google Discover, a content feed personalized based on user interests, rolled out its AI Mode feature, accessible not only within Discover itself but also for any webpage opened in Google’s Android app. Once users tap the three-dot menu at the top-right of an article, three options appear: AI Summarize, Ask Follow-Up, and Dive Deeper. This feature subtly shifts control from the publisher’s voice to AI interpretation. Publishers may still receive clicks, but there's no guarantee the original article’s content will be read completely.
Why Does This Matter?
From my perspective, this reshaping of content consumption directly impacts how startups and small businesses approach marketing and visibility. If AI generates alternative summaries of your content, your carefully crafted brand message could become diluted or redefined into generic interpretations. Publishers already grapple with dwindling attention spans, and now they have to compete against AI versions of their own work.
What’s Happening Behind the Scenes?
Google’s “query fan-out” technique plays a crucial role in AI Mode. Instead of serving static search results, Google splits a user's question into multiple subtopics, searching simultaneously across different sources. The findings are compiled into a conversational response embedded with links. Data from Google's Search Central indicates this technology is tailored for in-depth exploration, ideal for users but a potential red flag for content creators seeking engagement.
Barry Schwartz, renowned search industry analyst, emphasizes the systematic push toward AI integration. According to Schwartz, Google isn’t launching features at random; it’s building a coherent user habit to lean on AI for every stage of discovery and engagement with content. It starts with Search, extends to AI Overviews, infiltrates People Also Ask, connects via Chrome, and now establishes a presence directly within Discover articles. You can see Schwartz’s full analysis in Search Engine Land.
How Can Business Owners Navigate This AI-Led Shift?
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Develop Hyper-Focused Content: If AI tools are grabbing summaries, your opening sentences should highlight the crux of your message. This tricks the system into prioritizing your takeaway points.
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Invest in SEO for Referrals: Don’t expect readers to stay loyal. Use descriptive links to boost traffic from AI-generated summaries. Tools like SEMrush analytics help track referral patterns.
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Regularly Update Content: Algorithms are hungry for freshness. If AI reindexes your article and spots inconsistencies or outdated insights, fewer users could land directly on your webpage.
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Collaborate on Schema Markup: Structured data becomes crucial for ensuring your content aligns with AI visibility. Guide Google’s models by embedding rich metadata.
Mistakes That Could Hurt You
One frequent error I see among startups is ignoring collaborative features in AI Mode or in their own strategies for user engagement. Another issue is neglecting content refresh cycles. You can’t let your articles stagnate, especially when AI tools prioritize relevance. Lastly, relying solely on AI tools may seem tempting, but nothing beats the human touch for creating emotional narratives.
What’s Next for Startups and Publishers?
This development by Google highlights tech’s double-edged sword: as AI tools make processes faster and seemingly smarter, they also risk stripping away the authenticity and brand presence smaller businesses and publishers have worked hard to build. Adaptation is necessary but not without strategy. For deeper insights into how AI is reshaping all aspects of search and Discover, read Google’s official blog.
Final Thoughts
AI Mode demonstrates how technology evolves with user habits, priming us to engage with content differently. As a business owner, staying ahead of these changes is key to remaining visible. While Google’s goal seems to enhance discovery, it’s essential for businesses to reclaim room for authentic engagement. Let’s hope that publishers find a way to thrive in a future where summaries and conversational AI challenge the full reading experience.
FAQ on Google Discover and AI Mode
1. What is Google Discover's AI Mode?
Google Discover's AI Mode integrates tools like AI-generated summaries, follow-up questions, and deep-dives to enhance user content interaction. It aims to make information more accessible and interactive. Learn more about AI Mode in Google Discover
2. How does AI Mode impact publishers?
AI Mode may reduce direct engagement with original content, as users rely on AI summaries instead of fully reading articles. Publishers risk losing their message's authenticity. Understand the impact on publishers
3. How does AI Mode work behind the scenes?
AI Mode uses a “query fan-out” technique, dividing a query into subtopics, gathering information from various sources, and consolidating it into a detailed response with supportive links. Learn about query fan-out
4. Can users access AI Mode anywhere apart from Discover?
Yes, AI Mode operates within any webpage opened using the Google Android app, allowing users to interact instantly with its tools from the three-dot menu. Discover how AI Mode works in the Google Android App
5. What are the three main features of AI Mode?
AI Mode offers:
- Summarize: Quickly condense content into an overview.
- Ask Follow-Up: Engage in a conversational exploration of the topics.
- Dive Deeper: Explore subtopics for more in-depth insights. Learn more about the user features in AI Mode
6. What are the risks to startups with AI Mode?
AI Mode risks altering your startup's carefully curated messages into generic or diluted summaries, making it harder to preserve your brand's unique identity. Understand the challenges for startups
7. How might this shift reader behavior?
By habituating users to rely on AI responses, Google may reduce the incentive to read full-length articles. This could lead to shorter attention spans and less engagement with original publisher content. Explore AI's effect on reader behavior
8. What strategies can publishers use to adapt?
To thrive, publishers should craft concise openings, invest in strong SEO tactics, update content regularly, and implement structured data for better AI visibility. Read strategies to adapt to AI-driven changes
9. Is AI Mode integrated with other Google tools?
Yes, Google's AI Mode aligns with broader tools like AI Overviews, SGE (Search Generative Experience), and Chrome, fostering consistent user habits across platforms. Learn about AI Mode integration with Google tools
10. How does Google see the future of AI Mode?
Google envisions AI Mode as a way for users to explore topics effortlessly through deep dives, enhanced by AI's query management and real-time insights. Understand Google's vision for the future of AI Mode
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.