Introduction to Google-Extended

Google has updated the documentation for the Google-Extended user agent, a tool that allows publishers to control whether their data is used for training purposes or for grounding AI answers by Google Gemini and Vertex. This update is based on feedback from publishers and aims to improve clarity and provide more specific details.

What is Google-Extended?

Google-Extended is a standalone product token that web publishers can use to manage whether their sites help improve Gemini Apps and Vertex AI generative APIs. The updated documentation provides a clearer explanation of what the user agent is for and what blocking it accomplishes. Essentially, it allows publishers to decide whether their content can be used for training future generations of Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Grounding with Google Search on Vertex AI.

Previous vs. Updated Documentation

The previous documentation stated that Google-Extended is used to manage whether sites help improve Gemini Apps and Vertex AI generative APIs, without providing much detail. The updated version expands on this, explaining that it controls whether content crawled from sites may be used for training future generations of Gemini models and for grounding.

Google-Extended and Ranking Signals

An important clarification made by Google is that Google-Extended is not used as a ranking signal for Google Search. This means that allowing Google-Extended to use data for grounding Gemini AI answers will not affect a site’s ranking in Google Search. Grounding refers to the process of using web data and knowledge base data to improve answers provided by a large language model, ensuring they are up-to-date and factual.

Impact on Google Search

The documentation now explicitly states that Google-Extended does not impact a site’s inclusion in Google Search nor is it used as a ranking signal. This is a significant clarification, as it separates the use of Google-Extended from any potential effects on search visibility or ranking.

Consistency Across Documentation

The updated language in the Google-Extended documentation matches longstanding guidance found elsewhere in Google’s documentation. This reinforces the idea that Google-Extended is separate from controls that manage how website information is shown in Google Search. For instance, Google-Extended is not a method for managing how content appears in Google Search; instead, publishers should use other methods like robots.txt or other robot controls for such purposes.

Takeaways

• Google-Extended Documentation Update: The documentation has been clarified and expanded for better understanding.
• Separation From Ranking Signals: It’s clear now that Google-Extended does not affect Google Search inclusion or ranking.
• Internal Use By AI Models: Google-Extended controls whether site content is used for training and grounding Gemini models.
• Consistency Across Documentation: The updated language matches other guidance, reinforcing its separation from search visibility controls.

Conclusion

In summary, Google’s update to the Google-Extended documentation provides publishers with clearer guidance on how to control the use of their data by Google Gemini and Vertex for AI training and grounding purposes. This update also reassures publishers that opting out of Google-Extended will not impact their site’s ranking in Google Search, maintaining a clear distinction between data usage for AI models and search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. By understanding and utilizing Google-Extended effectively, publishers can make informed decisions about how their content contributes to the development of AI models, all while ensuring their SEO efforts remain unaffected.