If you’ve started using AI tools to create content for your website or marketing, you’re not alone—AI is everywhere. But before you hit publish on those blog posts, product pages, or FAQs, you need to understand how Google is really viewing this type of content.
Recently, two key voices at Google—search representatives (we’ll refer to them as Google team leads)—spoke out about why certain types of AI-generated content may hurt your website’s visibility rather than help it. Let’s break it down so you can make smart, informed choices for your business.
What Are Google’s Quality Rater Guidelines?
Google uses a manual review system alongside its algorithm to help determine which websites show up at the top of search results. These are called Quality Rater Guidelines (QRG). While these raters don’t directly impact rankings, their feedback influences how Google updates its algorithm.
Google recently updated these guidelines to explicitly address AI-generated content, especially when it’s used in large volumes with little effort or originality.
Here’s what the new guidance says:
“The lowest rating applies if all or almost all of the content on a page is copied, paraphrased, embedded, auto or AI-generated… with little to no effort, little to no originality, and little to no added value for visitors.”
Translation? If your website is filled with AI-generated fluff, it could be flagged as low quality.
“But It’s High Quality AI!” – That Might Not Be Enough
One of the Google team leads made it clear: it doesn’t matter how your content is produced—AI, automation, or human. If it’s mass-produced and lacks originality, it’s still considered “scaled content abuse.”
Back in the day (circa 2005), websites pumped out low-value articles by the thousands to manipulate search rankings. Today, AI just makes that faster. But Google sees it the same way.
Key point:
“Google doesn’t care whether content is AI, automated, or human-made. If it’s scaled and low value, it’s a problem.”
So even if a tool lets you generate 100 articles in a click, ask yourself—do they actually help your customers?
How Small Businesses Can Use AI the Right Way
AI isn’t the enemy. In fact, there are ways to use it that add genuine value. One great example shared by Google: using AI to summarize user reviews on product pages.
For example:
If your online store sells hiking boots and you’ve collected 100 reviews, AI could help summarize key themes like “comfortable for long hikes” or “runs half a size small.” That summary adds value to your customer experience—without replacing original content.
The difference? AI is supporting original content, not replacing it.
Watch Out for These Two Red Flags:
1. Are You Just Trying to Get More Traffic?
If your goal is “rank higher on Google” and not “help customers solve a real problem,” you’re likely on the wrong path.
Ask yourself:
- Would someone still find this useful if they landed here without coming from Google?
- Did I create this because it serves my audience—or because I wanted clicks?
2. Is There Anything Original About This Content?
One of the experts pointed out that when SEOs use AI to create content about a topic they do know well, they immediately spot how shallow or generic it is.
If you’re using AI to write about something you have no real expertise in, chances are:
- It’s not original
- It’s not helpful
- And it’s not going to do you any favors with Google
Even worse? Generic AI content can sound convincing. That makes it easy to mistake fluff for value—and hard for your readers to trust you.
Final Tips for Small Business Owners
Here’s your quick checklist if you’re using or thinking about using AI-generated content on your site:
✅ Use AI to enhance existing human-generated content, not replace it
✅ Ask: “Is this content useful, original, and valuable to my customer?”
✅ Avoid mass-producing pages just to chase traffic
✅ Stay up to date with Google’s content policies (they’re evolving fast!)
✅ When in doubt, create content based on your actual expertise—that’s your edge!
If you’re running a small business, you don’t need to game the system—you need to stand out with value, trust, and helpfulness. That’s what builds long-term success both with Google and your customers.
FAQ: AI-Generated Content & Google’s Search Guidelines
1. Is it okay to use AI to write content for my website?
Yes—but only if it adds real value. AI should support your expertise, not replace it. If you’re using AI to mass-produce generic articles just to boost traffic, that can hurt your search rankings.
2. What does Google mean by “scaled content abuse”?
This refers to publishing large volumes of content with little originality or effort—whether it’s written by AI, humans, or automation tools. Google has been fighting this tactic for years, and AI hasn’t changed the rules.
3. How can I use AI in a way that helps my business?
✅ Use AI to:
- Summarize customer reviews
- Generate draft outlines you then personalize
- Create supporting assets (e.g. meta descriptions or social snippets)
- Turn transcripts from webinars or podcasts into summaries or blog posts
🚫 Don’t use AI to:
- Automatically churn out dozens of keyword-based blog posts
- Rewrite competitor articles without adding anything new
- Pretend to be an expert on something you don’t understand
4. How does Google decide if content is “low quality”?
Google’s human reviewers follow the Quality Rater Guidelines, which now say content should be rated “Lowest” if:
- It’s mostly copied, paraphrased, or AI-generated
- It lacks originality, effort, or unique value
- It’s made just to get traffic, not help people
5. If the content sounds good, isn’t that enough?
Not really. AI tools can generate well-written but shallow content. Even if it reads nicely, if there’s no real insight, experience, or usefulness, it won’t stand out to users—or to Google.
6. What if I already published a bunch of AI content?
No need to panic, but do a content audit:
- Identify what’s generic or duplicated
- Add your own voice, experience, or customer-focused info
- Remove or consolidate pages that add no unique value
7. Can I use AI to speed up content creation?
Absolutely! Just make sure you’re still:
- Reviewing/editing the content carefully
- Injecting real expertise and local knowledge
- Creating with the customer in mind, not the algorithm
8. How can I tell if my content is “original enough”?
Ask:
- Did I write this based on my real experience or customer needs?
- Can someone else say the exact same thing without knowing my business?
- Does it help someone make a decision, solve a problem, or learn something new?
If the answer is no, it might be time to revise or rethink.