Google tests multi-source AI summaries in Discover feed

Google Discover is testing AI-generated story summaries that aggregate content from multiple sources, similar to how AI Overviews appear in search results. The feature represents Google’s latest expansion of AI capabilities across its services, potentially changing how users consume news and information within the Discover feed.

What you should know: The AI summaries replace traditional publication logos with icons from multiple sources and use “Trending” labels to distinguish them from regular articles.

• These summaries pull information from various publications and online resources, presenting it as three lines of AI-generated text with a “See more” option for additional content.
• The main editorial source serves as the primary link for users to click through for more information.
• A disclaimer stating “Generated with AI, which can make mistakes” appears only after users click “See more.”

How it works: The AI feature aggregates content from multiple publications into digestible summaries within the Discover feed.

• In one example spotted by 9to5Google, a tech news site, the AI summary used a NASA blog post as its main source for the headline and image.
• Users can access all included sources by pressing the “More” button within the card.
• The feature appears on both Android and iOS versions of Discover, with no desktop implementation currently visible.

Testing variations: Google is experimenting with different approaches to AI integration in Discover beyond multi-source summaries.

• One test version provides AI summaries of single articles rather than grouping multiple sources together.
• In this variation, Google moves the publication name to the bottom of the card and reduces the headline size.
• The company previously attempted topic summarization with a feature called “Headlines” that grouped three articles on the same topic without AI.

Additional features: Google is also testing a new Save icon within Discover to help users bookmark content for later reading.

• The bookmark icon appears between the overflow menu and heart icon in test versions.
• Saved content becomes available within the Activity section for easy access.

The big picture: This development continues Google’s broader integration of AI across its ecosystem, following the rollout of AI Overviews in search results and representing a significant shift in how the company presents curated content to users.