AIEO
Does Google detect and penalise AI-generated content?
Mar 28, 2025
AI-generated content? Here’s what Google just changed about content quality
If your AI-written blog post reads like it was spat out in under 30 seconds, Google’s coming for it. In its latest Search Quality Rater Guidelines update from January 2025, Google officially calls out AI-generated content that’s lazy, repetitive, or barely edited.
Why should you care? Because, as of right now, this kind of content can now earn a Lowest rating. This post breaks down what that actually means, how Google spots low-effort AI work, and how to avoid getting flagged (without ditching AI altogether).
TL;DR: Google doesn’t care that you used AI (more or less), it cares how much effort you put in. If your content is low-value, paraphrased, or full of fluff, it could get flagged with a Lowest rating. This post explains what changed in Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, the new risks around auto-generated content, and how to keep using AI without getting punished in rankings.
Google's stance on AI-generated content
When Google’s latest Search Quality Rater Guidelines update came out in January 2025, it had a clear message for creators and content teams everywhere: “We see your AI-generated content. And if it’s low-effort? It’s getting a Lowest rating.”
Ok, here's what they actually published:
The Lowest rating applies if all or almost all of the MC(Main Content) on the page (including text, images, audio, videos, etc) is copied, paraphrased, embedded, auto or AI generated, or reposted from other sources with little to no effort, little to no originality, and little to no added value for visitors to the website. Such pages should be rated Lowest, even if the page assigns credit for the content to another source.
In a nutshell, this means that content creators, copywriters, and communication specialists can use AI tools, but need to add their insights in between the AI-generated lines. They have to not only quote the source but also add context, an opinion, something to make it different than the original.
And don't think you can trick the system. The little devilish robots crawling the World Wide Web know how to recognise and flag:
Overuse of generic or commonly known info
Language that mimics summarising AI tools (e.g., “As an AI language model...”)
High similarity to known source pages
Zero real-world input, examples, or opinions
So, if you’re using AI to scale content, this doesn't mean you need to give it up. You just need to be involved and not just give it orders only to publish whatever it spits out, which is doubly important if you're optimising your content for AI-powered tools and search engines. Back to our sheep…
Low vs. lowest: What's the difference and why does it matter
The stakes couldn't be higher:
Low rating = While there's a bit of reused or reworded content, there's clear evidence of the author putting some effort into it by editing, adding insights, or restructuring the text.
Lowest rating = The page is copied.
Here are some examples of content that runs the risk of getting the "lowest rating" mark:
Social reposts with no added comment.
"Best of" lists that just rewrite Amazon reviews.
Blog posts that regurgitate Wikipedia and add an affiliate link.
Important thing to bear in mind: Is the page there just to make money or help the user? One will get you flagged, the other will get you ranked.
What is "filler flag"?
Something else popped up in this new version of the guidelines: filler content. Google's raters will now be on the lookout for:
Paragraphs that restate the title.
Keyword padding and vague intros.
Pages designed to appear “longer” or “richer” than they really are.
What you need to remember from this is that if the reader needs to scroll past half a page of nothingness to get to the point, your content will suffer a downgrade.
How to adapt your content strategy
Start by:
Start with user intent: Don’t guess. Figure out what real people are asking, then structure content to answer that directly.
Edit ruthlessly: Rephrase, restructure, and add something that didn’t come from a dataset.
Cut the filler content: Your content should be skimmable, but not skimpy on substance.
Give it your personal touch: Add your POV, mini case studies, real examples of your experience, and screenshots.
Do an SEO Audit of old content: Especially auto-generated stuff published at scale. If it’s bland, rework it or bin it.
Stop relying on summaries: Google now sees that for what it is: surface-level SEO bait.
AI-generated content? Here’s what Google just changed about content quality
If your AI-written blog post reads like it was spat out in under 30 seconds, Google’s coming for it. In its latest Search Quality Rater Guidelines update from January 2025, Google officially calls out AI-generated content that’s lazy, repetitive, or barely edited.
Why should you care? Because, as of right now, this kind of content can now earn a Lowest rating. This post breaks down what that actually means, how Google spots low-effort AI work, and how to avoid getting flagged (without ditching AI altogether).
TL;DR: Google doesn’t care that you used AI (more or less), it cares how much effort you put in. If your content is low-value, paraphrased, or full of fluff, it could get flagged with a Lowest rating. This post explains what changed in Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines, the new risks around auto-generated content, and how to keep using AI without getting punished in rankings.
Google's stance on AI-generated content
When Google’s latest Search Quality Rater Guidelines update came out in January 2025, it had a clear message for creators and content teams everywhere: “We see your AI-generated content. And if it’s low-effort? It’s getting a Lowest rating.”
Ok, here's what they actually published:
The Lowest rating applies if all or almost all of the MC(Main Content) on the page (including text, images, audio, videos, etc) is copied, paraphrased, embedded, auto or AI generated, or reposted from other sources with little to no effort, little to no originality, and little to no added value for visitors to the website. Such pages should be rated Lowest, even if the page assigns credit for the content to another source.
In a nutshell, this means that content creators, copywriters, and communication specialists can use AI tools, but need to add their insights in between the AI-generated lines. They have to not only quote the source but also add context, an opinion, something to make it different than the original.
And don't think you can trick the system. The little devilish robots crawling the World Wide Web know how to recognise and flag:
Overuse of generic or commonly known info
Language that mimics summarising AI tools (e.g., “As an AI language model...”)
High similarity to known source pages
Zero real-world input, examples, or opinions
So, if you’re using AI to scale content, this doesn't mean you need to give it up. You just need to be involved and not just give it orders only to publish whatever it spits out, which is doubly important if you're optimising your content for AI-powered tools and search engines. Back to our sheep…
Low vs. lowest: What's the difference and why does it matter
The stakes couldn't be higher:
Low rating = While there's a bit of reused or reworded content, there's clear evidence of the author putting some effort into it by editing, adding insights, or restructuring the text.
Lowest rating = The page is copied.
Here are some examples of content that runs the risk of getting the "lowest rating" mark:
Social reposts with no added comment.
"Best of" lists that just rewrite Amazon reviews.
Blog posts that regurgitate Wikipedia and add an affiliate link.
Important thing to bear in mind: Is the page there just to make money or help the user? One will get you flagged, the other will get you ranked.
What is "filler flag"?
Something else popped up in this new version of the guidelines: filler content. Google's raters will now be on the lookout for:
Paragraphs that restate the title.
Keyword padding and vague intros.
Pages designed to appear “longer” or “richer” than they really are.
What you need to remember from this is that if the reader needs to scroll past half a page of nothingness to get to the point, your content will suffer a downgrade.
How to adapt your content strategy
Start by:
Start with user intent: Don’t guess. Figure out what real people are asking, then structure content to answer that directly.
Edit ruthlessly: Rephrase, restructure, and add something that didn’t come from a dataset.
Cut the filler content: Your content should be skimmable, but not skimpy on substance.
Give it your personal touch: Add your POV, mini case studies, real examples of your experience, and screenshots.
Do an SEO Audit of old content: Especially auto-generated stuff published at scale. If it’s bland, rework it or bin it.
Stop relying on summaries: Google now sees that for what it is: surface-level SEO bait.