February 25, 2025
Let’s start with the basics. What exactly do we mean by ‘generative AI’? Thankfully, an official explanation has been provided by Google:
‘Generative AI is a type of machine learning (ML) model that can take what it has learned from the examples it has been provided to create new content, such as text, images, music, and code.’
It also states:
‘Generative AI can be a helpful tool for content creation, but like any tool, it can also be misused.’
It’s important to stress that the use of Generative AI isn’t completely frowned upon and, in some cases, it can be helpful if you’re creating content at scale. But, the technology does need to be used with caution.
In the scaled content abuse section of the SQRG, Google directly addresses the use of AI-generated content:
‘Using automated tools (generative AI or otherwise) as a low-effort way to produce many pages that add little-to-no value for website visitors as compared to other pages on the web on the same topic.’
Essentially, using AI to churn our content for the sake of it, won’t get you anywhere.
Google also specifies the use of generative AI tools in regards to low quality content.
It goes on to explain that content can be ‘summarized, reworded, or paraphrased by people or generative AI tools’. And that ‘copying, paraphrasing, embedding, or reposting content does not automatically make a page Lowest quality’.
The use of paraphrasing or reusing content is only a problem when almost all of the content is copied or paraphrased with no effort to add originality or provide additional value to your audience.
AI is brought up again with Google stating:
‘The use of Generative AI tools alone does not determine the level of effort or Page Quality rating. Generative AI tools may be used for high quality and low quality content creation.’
Again, it’s clear to see that using AI for content generation isn’t inherently bad. This form of content is only considered ‘low quality’ when AI is used to create content with ‘little to no effort, little to no originality, and little to no added value for website visitors’. This means you shouldn’t rely on AI alone to produce your content. Instead, you should make sure it has been edited and offers actual value to your audience.
Page quality (PQ) is negatively affected by the use of AI when the content hasn’t been refined. In one section of the PQ rating section, Google writes:
‘The contents of the page show it is created with generative AI with likely no original content and provides no value to users.’
‘This is spam (scaled content abuse)’
Unedited AI-generated content is considered ‘highly untrustworthy’ since it often contains mistakes or misleading information. This is particularly important for YMYL (your money or your life) topics, where incorrect information can cause harm to users.
‘The text does not appear to have been written or edited by a human editor’ is also an important note. If you use AI content, ensure it’s clearly been reviewed and edited by a human.
AI is still relatively new to the world and it’s not yet refined enough to provide 100% accurate, high quality and useful information all the time. Mainly because it’s a machine, so it lacks actual human experience. Ultimately, this is what gives truth, experience, expertise, trust, and depth to content.
The general take away is that Google isn’t against AI-generated content as a whole. However, there are certain rules to follow when using it.
AI content that has been edited to be original and used as a way to add value to pages is perfectly fine. But, unedited AI-generated content that is used to churn out unoriginal, low-effort content designed purely for the sake of gaining advantage in the search results, is not fine.
If you’d like expert help putting together an effective content marketing strategy, get in touch with us today.
