A sharp-eyed Australian SEO expert has uncovered indirect confirmation that Google may be using AI detection to impact search rankings—hidden in plain sight for years. While Google is known for its transparency on content policies, recent insights from a Googler’s LinkedIn profile offer new details.

Gagan Ghotra tweeted about Chris Nelson, a Googler in the Search Quality team, who mentioned his role in managing a global team working on ranking solutions, including “detection and treatment of AI-generated content.”

Nelson, a key figure at Google Search, co-authored the guidelines on AI-generated content. His LinkedIn profile outlines his work, which involves addressing quality issues like user interactions and the detection of novel content types, including AI-generated content. Here’s a breakdown of his role:

• Preventing manipulation of ranking signals
• Analyzing quality issues (user interactions, insights)
• Detecting and addressing AI-generated content
• Promoting helpful content

Nelson’s profile sheds light on his work with AI content, especially the nuances of how Google handles AI-created material. His focus is on providing both qualitative and quantitative insights into content quality, offering a deeper understanding of how Google evaluates and treats AI-generated content.

Despite Google’s stance that it doesn’t outright ban AI content, the guidelines stress producing original, high-quality, people-first content. The nuance here is that Google differentiates between content produced for users and content written solely for search engines. For those looking to succeed in Google Search, it’s clear that quality and user intent are at the forefront.

So why doesn’t Google ban AI-generated content completely? Historically, automation has been a staple in publishing, from sports scores to weather updates. Google’s stance is that automation can be a powerful tool for generating helpful content, and AI can contribute to this in exciting ways.

The real twist? Chris Nelson’s profile reveals that his team focuses on “novel content issues,” likely referring to the rise of AI-generated spam. While Google’s official line says it doesn’t matter how low-quality content is created, the context here suggests that Google is specifically working to detect and handle the growing issue of AI-generated low-quality content.

In short, while the search giant doesn’t explicitly outlaw AI content, it is actively evolving systems to detect and address low-quality content generated by AI, which could impact how it performs in search rankings. As AI content continues to grow, Google’s ongoing efforts to refine its systems may mean new challenges and opportunities for content creators.

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