Google Quality Raters Now Penalize AI-Generated Content with ‘Lowest’ Rating
Google has updated its Search Quality Rater Guidelines, instructing raters to classify pages with content generated via AI tools as "Lowest" quality if they lack originality, effort, or added value. This move follows a broader 2025 guideline overhaul focusing on spam definitions, including expired domain abuse and scaled content abuse. AI-generated paraphrased content, social media reposts, and filler content can also trigger low ratings. Additionally, the update emphasizes stricter scrutiny on misleading claims and visual deception, especially pages padded with irrelevant content. Google aims to ensure that users encounter genuinely helpful and original material across search results.