Google Discover Is Adding AI: What Is Live, What Is Being Tested, and What Publishers Should Do in 2026

Google Discover is changing from a feed of links into a feed with AI built into it. Some of that is already live, some of it is a test, and some of it appears only in Google job listings. For a publisher, the difference between those three matters, because only one of them should change what you do this week.

This guide separates what Google has launched from what it is testing, explains how to measure your own exposure, and lays out what we would do now. If you are new to how the feed works and pays, start with our guide to Google Discover monetization.

What is already live in Discover

Three AI-related changes are confirmed by Google itself.

The first is AI previews of trending topics. On October 13, 2025, Google announced an upgraded AI-powered feature in Discover that helps people stay up to date on trending topics they care about. Google said it shows brief previews that people can expand to see more information, plus links to continue exploring content on the web, and that it was available in the US, South Korea and India. TechCrunch reported in July 2025 that these summaries show several publishers' logos and carry a notice that they are generated with AI, "which can make mistakes."

The second is a way to measure it. Search Console now has a generative AI performance report for Discover. Google's help page says it shows how your site performs on generative AI features in Google Discover, counts impressions as links to your site that a user saw in those features, and lists by page the canonical URL that served as the source of the information shown. Google says it rolled these insights out to all websites worldwide as of August 31, 2026.

The third is more reader control. On August 20, 2026, Google announced that people would be able to tell Discover, in their own words, which topics or links they want to see more or less of, and it released a Preferred Sources button publishers can embed on their pages. We cover those tools in our guide to Preferred Sources, Tailor Your Feed and Search profiles.

What Google is testing

On September 18, 2026, Robby Stein, Google's VP of Product for Search, announced a test of a "Dive deeper" button in Discover. In his post, as reported by Search Engine Journal and Search Engine Roundtable, he said that tapping it shows "a short topic overview with prominent links to related stories, community reactions & original reporting." He said the test starts with videos and that Google would experiment with multiple designs in the weeks ahead. Google has not said which countries are in the test or how many people see it.

The reason publishers are watching it closely is the order of events. A reader who taps the button lands on a Google-written overview first, and the publisher links sit inside it. Whether those links produce as many visits as a direct click on the original card is the open question, and Google has not published data on it.

Researchers who study the Google app are also reporting more tests than Google has announced. On October 23, Damien Andell, who tracks Discover closely, posted that Discover had started a test that disables taps on the sources button under AI summaries, as reported by Search Engine Roundtable. That is a reported test, not a Google announcement, and it may never ship.

Treat a Google announcement, a reported test and a job listing as three different things. Only the first should change your plan this week.

What the job listings suggest, and why they are not a plan

In October, Search Engine Journal reported Google job listings for the Discover team. One, for a Principal UX Lead, describes the goal to "transform Discover into a proactive, hyper-personalized concierge experience that helps users make progress on their goals." The same reporting notes the listings also talk about elevating human voices and perspectives in the feed.

Job listings show direction. They do not show a launch date, a design or how much of the feed AI features would take up. Plan for the direction, but do not rebuild your editorial calendar around a listing.

What has not changed: what Discover rewards

Under the AI layer, Google's stated preferences for Discover content have not moved. When Google released its February 2026 Discover core update, it said the update would show more locally relevant content from websites based in a reader's country, reduce sensational content and clickbait, and show more in-depth, original and timely content from websites with expertise in a given area. Google said its systems identify expertise on a topic-by-topic basis, so a site can earn Discover visibility in the subjects it covers deeply.

That matters for the AI features too. An AI preview or topic overview needs sources. The pages most likely to be linked inside one are the same pages Discover already favors: original, specific, timely work from a site that clearly knows the subject.

What we would do now

These are our recommendations for publishers who earn meaningful traffic from Discover.

Open the generative AI report this week

If your site has enough impressions in Discover's AI features, the report shows which of your pages are being used as sources. Compare those pages with your normal Discover performance report. If the same pages are gaining AI impressions while their clicks fall, you have an early warning that is specific to your site rather than an industry average.

Keep publishing what a summary cannot replace

Original reporting, first-hand testing, local detail and real numbers are hard to compress into a preview without sending readers to the source. Rewrites of stories everyone else already has are the easiest to summarize and the easiest to replace.

Make the click worth it on the card

The card is still your pitch. A specific headline, a large, relevant image and a clear reason to read the full piece all help whether the reader meets you in the feed or inside an AI overview. Our checklist of what a Google Discover audit checks covers the technical side, including image size and eligibility.

Turn Discover visitors into readers you can reach directly

Discover is a borrowed audience. An email sign-up inside the article, the Preferred Sources button and a follow prompt on your social channels convert a visit into a reader who comes back without the feed. Digiday, citing Chartbeat, reported that Discover referrals to publishers fell 34.3 percent year over year, after a 6.6 percent decline the year before. Our guide to recovering from a Discover traffic drop covers how to spread that risk.

title: Know your real Discover position before you change anything
body: The Google Discover Audit is a full read of your Search Console, your site and every variable behind the feed, delivered as a video walkthrough, a written report and a prioritized action plan. $500, credited in full if you move to consulting.
link: https://publisherinabox.com/google-discover-audit

Where to go from here

If you want a clear read on how exposed your site is to these changes and what to fix first, the Google Discover Audit analyzes your own Search Console data and gives you a prioritized plan. If you would rather have the whole Discover pipeline run for you, Google Discover Turnkey Management has no upfront cost and splits Discover revenue 50/50.

Frequently asked questions

Does Google Discover show AI summaries now?

Yes, in some markets. Google announced on October 13, 2025 that an AI-powered feature in Discover shows brief previews of trending topics, with links to explore content on the web, in the US, South Korea and India.

What is the "Dive deeper" button in Google Discover?

It is a test Google announced on September 18, 2026. Tapping it opens a short topic overview with links to related stories, community reactions and original reporting. Google said the test starts with videos and that it will try multiple designs.

How can I see whether my site appears in Discover's AI features?

Use the generative AI performance report for Discover in Search Console. It shows impressions of links to your site in Discover's AI features and lists the canonical pages that served as sources. Google says it reached all websites worldwide as of August 31, 2026.

Is Google replacing Discover with AI-generated content?

Google has not announced that. Job listings reported in October 2026 describe a more personalized, AI-driven Discover, but they give no launch date or design, and they also mention elevating human voices in the feed.

What should publishers do about AI in Discover?

Measure your exposure in the generative AI report, keep publishing original work a summary cannot replace, make each card worth the click, and turn Discover visitors into readers you can reach directly.

Key takeaways

• AI previews of trending topics are live in Discover in the US, South Korea and India, announced by Google on October 13, 2025.
• Search Console's generative AI performance report for Discover shows which of your pages feed those features, and Google says it reached all sites worldwide by August 31, 2026.
• The "Dive deeper" button is a test that started with videos on September 18, 2026. Google has not said where it runs or shared traffic data.
• Job listings point to a more AI-driven, personalized Discover, but they are direction, not a launch.
• Google's February 2026 Discover core update favors local relevance, less clickbait and original, timely work from sites with topic expertise.
• Original work, strong cards and a direct line to readers are the best protection whatever ships next.

Sources

• Google, New AI-powered features help you connect with web content in Search and Discover, October 13, 2025, blog.google
• Google Search Console Help, Generative AI performance report (Discover), support.google.com
• Google Search Central Blog, Introducing Search Generative AI performance reports in Search Console, June 2026, developers.google.com
• Google Search Central Blog, Google's February 2026 Discover Core Update, February 5, 2026, developers.google.com
• Google, Personalize the content you see on Search, Discover, and News, August 20, 2026, blog.google
• Search Engine Journal, Google Discover Test Adds Topic Overviews, Starting With Videos, September 18, 2026, searchenginejournal.com
• Search Engine Journal, Google Discover To Undergo Dramatic Changes, October 12, 2026, searchenginejournal.com
• Search Engine Roundtable, Google Discover Tests Disabling Clicks In Sources Section, October 2026, seroundtable.com
• TechCrunch, Google Discover adds AI summaries, July 15, 2025, techcrunch.com
• Digiday, Media Briefing: Publishers are turning GEO from an experiment into a business (Chartbeat data), October 2026, digiday.com