In an effort to navigate the rapidly evolving terrain of generative artificial intelligence (AI), Google has taken a monumental step towards fostering a balanced ecosystem that benefits both web publishers and AI advancements. This endeavor, named Google-Extended, offers web publishers a crucial control mechanism over how their sites contribute to the enhancement of Google Bard, Vertex AI generative APIs, and upcoming AI models.
The initiative is rooted in the bedrock of responsible AI development, aligning seamlessly with Google’s longstanding principles in AI innovation and their unwavering commitment to consumer privacy.
Google-Extended represents a standalone product token, empowering web publishers with the ability to determine the extent to which their sites contribute to the improvement of Bard and Vertex AI generative APIs, as well as the underlying AI models. This significant tool allows publishers to finely tune their participation in the advancement of AI technologies.
Unlike its predecessors, Google-Extended operates without a separate HTTP request user agent string. Instead, it leverages the existing Google user agent strings for crawling, while deploying the robots.txt user-agent token in a controlled capacity.
This innovative move by Google marks a pivotal moment in the symbiotic relationship between AI development and the web ecosystem. By placing control in the hands of web publishers, Google-Extended empowers them to actively shape the course of AI evolution, ensuring that it aligns with their values and preferences.
The introduction of Google-Extended signifies a stride towards a more inclusive, transparent, and ethically-grounded AI landscape. As the AI field continues to expand and evolve, Google’s commitment to responsible AI development remains steadfast, setting a commendable standard for the industry as a whole.