Google Expands Preferred Sources and Publisher AI Partnerships Globally

Google has expanded its Preferred Sources feature to English-language users worldwide while launching new pilot programs with major publishers to test AI-powered features across its products, including Google News and the Gemini app.

The move represents Google's evolving strategy to strengthen relationships with publishers in the AI era while giving users more control over their news consumption experience. The announcement includes updates to link appearances in AI Mode and a new feature highlighting content from users' paid news subscriptions.

Global Rollout of Preferred Sources

Google's Preferred Sources feature, which allows users to customize their Top Stories to see more content from their favorite news outlets, is now available to all English-language users globally. According to Google, the feature will expand to all supported languages in early 2026.

Since its initial launch, Google reports that nearly 90,000 unique sources have been selected by users, ranging from local blogs to major global news organizations. Data shows that users who select a preferred source are twice as likely to click through to that site, demonstrating higher engagement with customized news sources.

"The data clearly shows that when users have more control over their news sources, they're more likely to engage with that content," said a Google spokesperson. "This benefits both users who get more relevant information and publishers who see increased traffic from interested readers."

The feature represents a significant shift in how Google presents news content, allowing users greater agency in shaping their information ecosystem while potentially helping publishers build stronger direct relationships with their audiences.

Subscription Highlighting and AI Mode Updates

A key component of Google's announcement is a new subscription highlighting feature that will prominently display links from users' paid news subscriptions in search results. The feature will also prioritize links from subscribed publications and present them in a dedicated carousel.

This subscription highlighting will launch first in the Gemini app in the coming weeks, with plans to extend to AI Overviews and AI Mode later, though Google hasn't provided a specific timeline for these expansions.

Google is also enhancing AI Mode with several improvements:

• Increasing the number of inline links to provide more source options
• Updating link designs for better visibility
• Adding contextual introductions to embedded links, explaining why particular sources might be useful

The Web Guide feature, which uses AI to organize links into topic groups, has been improved to load twice as fast and is now appearing in more search queries for users participating in the experiment. This development aligns with the broader trend of artificial intelligence applications transforming business operations, particularly in how information is organized and presented to users.

Publisher AI Partnerships Program

In perhaps the most forward-looking aspect of the announcement, Google has launched a commercial partnership pilot with several major publishers, including:

• Der Spiegel
• El País
• Folha de S. Paulo
• Infobae
• Kompas
• The Guardian
• The Times of India
• The Washington Examiner
• The Washington Post

These partnerships will test AI-powered features in Google News, such as article overviews on participating publications' Google News pages and audio briefings for users who prefer listening to reading. Google emphasizes that these features will include proper attribution and link back to the original articles.

Additionally, Google has formed separate partnerships with Estadão, Antara, Yonhap, and The Associated Press to provide real-time information for the Gemini app. The company states it has partnered with over 3,000 publications, platforms, and content providers across more than 50 countries in recent years.

"This represents the next evolution in how we're working with publishers to ensure quality journalism remains sustainable in the AI era," a Google representative noted. "These partnerships allow us to experiment with new ways to deliver valuable content while maintaining proper attribution and driving traffic to publishers."

Content Distribution Strategy

For publishers looking to maximize their reach in this evolving landscape, these changes necessitate a refined approach to content distribution. Developing a comprehensive strategy that leverages strategic marketing partnerships across platforms can help publications maintain visibility as Google continues to evolve its content presentation methods.

Implications for Publishers and Users

These changes will likely have significant impacts on both publishers and news consumers. For publishers, the Preferred Sources feature data suggests that building direct relationships with users could lead to higher engagement rates. The subscription highlighting feature may also provide a new way for subscription-based publications to reach their paying audiences across Google's various products.

For users, these changes offer more control over news consumption while potentially making it easier to access content from trusted sources and paid subscriptions. The audio briefings being tested could also make news consumption more accessible for those with visual impairments or who prefer listening while multitasking.

Industry analysts see these moves as part of Google's broader strategy to adapt to a changing media landscape where AI is playing an increasingly important role in content creation and distribution. By strengthening publisher relationships and improving user control, Google appears to be positioning itself as a partner rather than just a distributor in the news ecosystem.

Optimization Opportunities

Publishers should consider optimizing their content for these new features, particularly by ensuring their websites and content are properly structured for Google's AI systems to understand and categorize. This includes utilizing Google's suite of optimization tools to gain insights into how their content is being indexed and presented across different Google products.

How This Information Can Help You

If you're a publisher, consider how to encourage your readers to add you as a Preferred Source, as data shows this can double your click-through rates from Google.

For subscription-based publications, prepare for the new subscription highlighting features by ensuring your paywall systems properly communicate with Google's services.

News consumers can take advantage of these features to create a more personalized news experience, especially by selecting Preferred Sources and making use of subscription highlighting when available.

The changes reflect what some industry observers have called "the Netflix-ification of news" – a trend toward more personalized, user-controlled information experiences that mirror how consumers interact with entertainment platforms. As one media analyst put it, "Just as Netflix knows what shows you watch, Google now wants to know which news sources you trust."

Potential Enhancement: Analytics Integration

An important consideration for publishers would be integrating analytics tools to measure how these Google changes affect traffic patterns and user engagement. According to recent data from the Reuters Institute Digital News Report, platforms continue to play a crucial role in news discovery, with 23% of users accessing news through search engines. Publishers should implement robust tracking to understand how Preferred Sources and AI-driven features are impacting their visibility and traffic sources.