Over the last year, law firms, marketers, and businesses across industries have rushed to incorporate AI-generated content, particularly from tools like Google’s Gemini & ChatGPT, into their websites. The appeal is obvious: it’s fast, cheap, and produces content at scale.
The problem is, everyone is doing it. A study by Copyleaks revealed that AI generated content grew 2,848% from Q1, 2023 to Q1, 2024 which resulted in Google cracking down on “AI Spam”.
Google’s March 2024 algorithm update was focused on rewarding unique content, or as Elizabeth Tucker (director of product management at Google) said in the announcement “We believe these updates will reduce the amount of low-quality content on Search and send more traffic to helpful and high-quality sites”.
As Google evolves its search experience—including the increasing prominence of its AI Overview box—sites relying on AI-generated content will see diminishing returns in both traditional rankings and AI-driven visibility. Here’s why:
1. Google’s Core Focus: Helpful, Original, People-First Content
Google’s search algorithm is built on rewarding content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). While AI can mimic expertise, it lacks true experience and authority. Google has made clear through various updates (including the Helpful Content Update) that content designed primarily for ranking purposes—rather than for actual user benefit—will be deprioritized.
The key issue with AI-generated content is that it often lacks unique insights, firsthand knowledge, and real-world application. Google is getting better at detecting this and, as a result, devaluing generic, AI-written material.
2. The Rise of AI Overviews: Google’s Own AI Is Competing with AI Content
With AI Overview boxes rolling out in search results, Google is increasingly curating the most authoritative and relevant information itself. This means that if a site’s content is not uniquely valuable, Google’s AI might summarize a better source instead—rendering AI-generated blog posts and FAQ pages nearly invisible.
AI Overview pulls from sources that demonstrate high topical authority and genuine expertise. If your content is simply reworded AI output, Google will have no reason to highlight your site when more authoritative sources exist.
3. Google’s Ability to Detect AI Content Is Improving
Many assume that if AI-generated content is edited slightly, it will evade Google’s detection. That’s wishful thinking. Google has sophisticated algorithms and classifiers designed to recognize low-value, AI-heavy content patterns. Even subtle AI indicators—like unnatural phrasing, repetition, or overuse of generalizations—can flag content as less valuable.
Additionally, AI-generated text often lacks meaningful external links, sources, or citations—another major signal Google uses to determine trustworthiness.
4. AI Content Often Lacks the Signals Google Wants to See
One major issue with AI content is that it lacks engagement signals—things like dwell time, click-through rate, and user interactions that indicate high-value content.
When users find content helpful, they stay longer, share it, and engage with it. AI-generated text, however, often reads as bland or overly polished without adding anything truly new. If Google detects that users are bouncing quickly or not engaging, rankings will suffer.
5. AI Tools Use Existing Content—They Don’t Innovate
At its core, AI tools like Gemini and ChatGPT are trained on existing content. That means they don’t create new insights; they simply remix what’s already out there. Google’s algorithm prioritizes content that pushes the conversation forward, not regurgitates what has already been said.
If AI-generated content is merely repackaging ideas with no new data, case studies, or firsthand expertise, it’s inherently less valuable in Google’s eyes.
How to Ensure Your Content Remains Valuable in Google’s Eyes
If AI-generated content won’t be enough, what will Google reward? Here’s what works:
- Firsthand Experience & Insights: If you’re writing about legal issues, include examples from actual cases or personal expertise. If you’re covering industry trends, reference proprietary data or expert interviews.
- Thought Leadership: Provide original commentary rather than just rewording existing articles. Offer new perspectives, not just summaries.
- Engaging, Well-Structured Content: Google values well-written, scannable, and reader-friendly content. Use formatting that enhances readability (headers, lists, clear takeaways).
- Human Authorship & Editorial Oversight: Clearly establish human authorship, with real credentials and bios. Google's trust signals favor content created by real experts.
- Citations & Authority Links: Reference reputable sources, studies, and high-quality backlinks to add credibility.
The Bottom Line: AI Content Won’t Be Enough
The days of flooding your website with ChatGPT-generated content and expecting SEO success are numbered. Google is increasingly prioritizing original, valuable, and human-driven content while simultaneously making its own AI Overview box the go-to source for quick answers.
If your content strategy depends solely on AI, you’re setting your website up for decline. Instead, focus on creating real, insightful, human-first content—because that’s what Google (and your audience) truly values.
