This week I had the privilege of running another SEO coaching session for Unlocking Potential here in the South West of the UK.
During one of the breakout sessions I was asked “Can I use AI to write all my blogs” – this was right after the section where we explored E-A-T. 🙈
E-A-T means Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. E-A-T is part of Google’s algorithm and baked into Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines).
The question, while basic in form, took me back. Will Google start flagging AI-Generated blog content?
If our mission with SEO, and as business owners, is to be a trusted authority on our subject matter, why would we want AI to do the job of creating our content?
How Does Google Respond To AI Generated Content?
As of today Google’s view on artificial intelligence is the follow:
Appropriate use of AI or automation is not against our guidelines. This means that it is not used to generate content primarily to manipulate search rankings, which is against our spam policies.
“Appropriate use” would make me concerned if my blogs, website pages and landing pages were 100% AI written. Continuing on Google says:
Poor quality content isn’t a new challenge for Google Search to deal with. We’ve been tackling poor quality content created both by humans and automation for years. We have existing systems to determine the helpfulness of content. Other systems work to elevate original news reporting. Our systems continue to be regularly improved.
So while, right now, Google is a bit impartial to some AI being used to generate content – what if in the future it changes its mind? If Google’s search pages become so filled with AI generated content, thus feeding more AI content – a circle of recycled content.
Could Google Label AI Generated Content In Search?
Since April 2024, Meta has started labelling content on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads to indicate when it’s created with artificial intelligence. While this move aims to enhance transparency and trust by helping users identify AI-generated content, there’s a significant issue. The ‘Made with AI’ label is being applied to content that isn’t actually AI-made. Online users are frustrated because even minor Photoshop edits are being tagged, causing concern among creatives who feel their work is being wrongly identified.
Now imagine this, you’ve spent hours, or hired an agency, to create content for your website and now, when you Google your search term, your blog is labeled “Generated with AI” – what does that do to the authority of your brand? Would users trust this content less than unlabelled content?
META pivoted, and there is no reason why Google and other search engines could do the same. Leaving some brands high and dry.
