Google is paying independent publishers to test an unreleased generative AI platform.

Google has announced that it will begin paying independent publishers to test its unreleased generative artificial intelligence (AI) platform.

The program, previously reported by Adweek, allows a handful of publishers access to its AI platform in exchange for analytics and feedback.

Publishers are expected to use the tools to produce “a fixed volume of content” for 12 months and receive a monthly stipend equivalent to a five-figure sum annually. Program participants are expected to produce and publish three articles per day, one newsletter per week and one marketing campaign per month.

A Google representative told the outlet that they are in the early stages of providing AI tools to small publishers “to help journalists in their work.”

“These tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists play in reporting, creating and fact-checking their stories,” the representative said.

The tools will allow publishers to more easily create aggregated content by examining previously published content, summarizing it and publishing it as a new article.

Advances in AI tech come as concerns about its capabilities and adoption in the media industry continue to grow.

Google pushed back on “speculation” that the program would republish the work of other media outlets. Google spokeswoman Meghan Farnsworth said in an emailed statement that the “experimental tool” is designed to work with small, local publishers to create content for their sites.

It added that the program aims to “produce high-quality journalism using factual content from public data sources”, including local government information offices or health authorities.

“Publishers remain in full editorial control over what ultimately appears on their site,” Farnsworth’s statement continued.

Google hopes the program can give journalists the choice to use AI to augment their work, not replace it, the company said.

Publishers should compile a list of external websites that produce content relevant to their audience. Adweek noted that these external outlets have not consented to, nor have they been informed of, their role in the program.

A publisher will then deploy an AI tool to summarize an article published by one of the outlets before a human editor reads it for accuracy before publishing it on their site. Publishers don’t need to note that the AI ​​created the content, found the publication.