The CMA’s announcement on its updated User Choice CR for Google Search would allow AI assistants such as ChatGPT and Perplexity to be included in Google's search choice screens, while also introducing attribution requirements for participating services.
The move marks a significant evolution in the CMA's approach, says the Professional Publishers Association (PPA), recognising that consumers are increasingly using AI assistants in ways that overlap with traditional search. However, the proposal has also raised fresh questions for publishers about publisher controls, attribution, traffic, and the wider value exchange between AI services and content creators.
The PPA has welcomed the proposed attribution standards but is urging the CMA to go further if AI assistants are to benefit from inclusion in the choice architecture.
Eilidh Wilson, head of policy and public affairs at the Professional Publishers Association, said: "The PPA welcomes the proposed attribution requirements, which recognise publishers’ right to be credited for their content and help protect the visibility and traffic that support quality journalism.
“However, we remain concerned about proposals to include AI assistants within Google’s user choice architecture.
“The CMA previously excluded Gemini from the Google Search designation yet now proposes to include AI assistants in the choice screen without equivalent publisher safeguards. This inconsistency needs to be addressed.
“If AI services are to benefit from inclusion in these choice screens, attribution alone is not enough. They must be held to the same standards the CMA is seeking to establish for Google Search, including giving publishers meaningful control over how their content is used. Without equivalent safeguards, there is a real risk of undermining the purpose of the wider regulatory programme, leaving publishers with a menu of doom rather than a system that genuinely supports competition, innovation and consumer choice.
“The PPA will be engaging fully with the consultation process to ensure the final requirements deliver meaningful protections for publishers, and support the sustainable creation of high-quality content."
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