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Lately, I've been seeing lots of posts about zero AI tolerance, about Google punishing sites for using AI content, etc.
And I kept wondering: Does Google really penalize AI content?
According to Google, that’s not the case. And I've always believed that intuitively.
But no one knows for sure. A lot of what you hear is just speculation.
So I decided to get real proof by analyzing 20,000 blog articles, surveying 700+ Semrush users, and interviewing industry experts.
The outcome?
AI content can totally rank on Google and bring you positive results.
But it's not that simple.
We Analyzed 20K Articles and Surveyed 700+ Semrush Users
Here’s what we did to get the data.
#1 SERP data analysis
First, we analyzed real-life SERPs. We selected 20,000 random keywords and pulled the top 20 Google results for each.
We then narrowed those down to 20,000 blog articles and used GPT Zero to check whether the content was AI-generated or human-written.
The result?
Around 8% of the URLs we analyzed were identified as “likely generated by AI.” This percentage has been consistent over the past year, which aligns with similar industry reports.
While this number is still small, it’s steadily growing.
We then compared the performance of AI-generated content versus human-written content across top search positions. Here are the results:
While human-written content slightly outperforms AI overall, the gap is narrower than you might think.
For example, 57% of AI content and 58% of human content appeared in the top 10.
#2 User survey
Next, we wanted to validate our findings by talking to real-world businesses.
I reached out to 700+ Semrush users (marketers, business owners, and SEOs) to learn about their experiences with using AI for SEO.
And guess what?
The majority found that content created with AI assistance performs either the same as human copy, or even better.
Only 9% of our users said that AI content brings them worse SEO results.
That being said, we’re not talking about purely AI-generated content. 73% of users we surveyed combine AI tools with human writing.
#3 Expert insights
Finally, I spoke with industry leaders like Ross Simmonds and Ann Smarty to get their perspectives on whether AI content can compete with human content in Google rankings.
They confirmed our findings. For example, here's what Ann Smarty, Co-Founder of Smarty Marketing, told us:
Using AI is completely fine—as long as it's part of a thoughtful process. Zero AI tolerance policies often feel like stubbornness to me. AI, when used responsibly, is just another tool to get better results.
So, Does Google Penalize AI-Written Content?
In short, I don't think so.
Our findings confirmed that content created with AI assistance can rank, generate traffic, and even conversions.
SERP data shows that while AI content might lag slightly, it can still reach top positions in search.
This is in line with Google’s official stance: AI copy isn’t penalized. But low-quality content is.
39% of our survey respondents also claim to be getting more organic traffic thanks to using AI.
This was probably achieved because their copy is easier to read, more organized, and more optimized for their target terms.
So what does that mean? Should you ditch human writers and go all-in on AI?
Not really.
It means that, instead of worrying about passing AI content detector checks, you should focus on creating useful, high-quality content.
The best part? By combining AI with human input, you can increase your organic traffic faster and easier.
This approach helps you automate time-consuming tasks, so you can focus on sourcing original information and sharing your ideas.
Here's what Ross Simmonds, SEO at Foundation Marketing, had to say about it:
I think AI is the equivalent of spell check today. It’s something every creator should consider as part of their toolkit to be more efficient and effective at prioritizing the areas they need to focus on.
This ensures their voice is coming across, their message is clear, and the story they’re telling is captivating and uniquely theirs.
I leverage AI in different ways over the course of the day, but I wouldn’t consider the content I create to be AI-generated. I’d consider it augmented with AI, much like a blog post or book I write would be enhanced by spell check.
Can Google detect AI content?
Yes, I believe Google can detect AI-generated content.
They’ve recently introduced SynthID, a technology by Google DeepMind. It embeds invisible watermarks into AI content, including text from their Gemini models.
This watermark subtly tweaks word choices to create a “hidden signature” that’s resilient to tampering.
That being said, the watermarks might still be less reliable if the content is heavily rewritten or translated.
But here’s the thing. When it comes to SEO, Google’s focus is still on identifying patterns of low-quality or overly generic writing.
The introduction of SynthID shows Google is taking transparency in automatically generated content seriously.
But its primary purpose is not directly related to SEO.
At the end of the day, whether it’s crafted by AI or a person, what matters is the value your content brings to the table.
Can AI Content Rank on Google?
Yes, AI content can rank on Google.
While only 8% of the content we analyzed in October was AI-generated, this number is growing rapidly.
Originality.ai’s research shows a significant increase in the percentage of websites with AI-detected content appearing in the top ranks over the past few months.
Source: Originality.ai
Our own investigation confirmed this trend.
The caveat? While Google doesn’t penalize AI copy per se, it doesn’t mean it’ll prioritize low-quality and low-value pages.
The same rules apply: content must be helpful and add value to readers—whether it’s AI-generated or not.
To ensure success, focus on providing unique and original information. Here's how our survey respondents implement this:
These practices support Google’s E-E-A-T principles: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
AI can then be used to transform these insights into engaging content that ranks.
REI Co-op is one of my favorite examples in this space. It’s a website selling hiking gear and related items.
What’s so special about it?
Instead of promoting random products in their articles, they personally try out each item before recommending it.
REI's employees test all products in real-world conditions, including hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.
This hands-on experience enables them to share unique, firsthand insights in their blog posts—value readers can’t find elsewhere.
But does it matter if they use AI to transform this original information into high-ranking content?
Not really.
Is AI Content Bad for SEO?
The impact of AI content on SEO depends entirely on one thing: the quality of the content you publish.
Our survey results confirmed that.
For example, 65%of marketers using AI to create content saw an improvement in their SEO results in the past 6 months.
But what about the few that saw declines in their search engine rankings? And why?
For the 9% of marketers who experienced declines, it turns out that AI content wasn’t usually the problem.
Here’s what they said:
Only 14% pointed to lower content quality.
Most SEO declines were caused by external factors—not the use of AI-generated content itself. At least from the point of view of our users.
However, there’s one important thing you should know about AI writing tools: many platforms don’t have access to real-life competitive data and provide generic output.
But content optimization is essential for rankings. Here’s what our users do to enhance their AI copy:
Ross Simmonds sums it up well:
In my opinion, there is one important element: while AI can help you create content, you should always have a human involved in the process. It’ll help you create something that actually aligns with your search intent, meets certain standards of content excellence, and ensures that the stories you’re telling are truly representative of your brand and not exclusively that of the Large Language Model (LLM).
An even better approach? Combining human oversight with specialized AI SEO tools.
For example, ContentShake AI uses Semrush’s SEO data to structure your content and increase its chances of ranking.
First, it finds the right target keywords for your topic and analyzes the search intent and SERPs.
You can even create your unique brand voice based on your writing samples. This will ensure that each piece of content sounds exactly like you (and not like a robot).
ContentShake AI also helps you optimize your drafts.
For example, you can add more content via the easy-to-use blog editor and the integrated AI chat.
Then, get your content scored and optimize it across three main pillars: SEO, readability, and tone of voice.
How to Create Content the Right Way
So, what does it all mean for your strategy? Here are some tips you can implement right away.
1. Use AI to Create Better Content
Let AI help you save time, not replace human specialists and real-life research.
Remember: if you can use AI to generate content, so can your competitors.
To truly differentiate yourself, use AI as a tool—not a crutch. It can help you:
- Build narratives: Feed AI your ideas or data, and let it help you shape them into a compelling story
- Come up with unique angles: AI can suggest fresh perspectives you might not have thought of
- Process large volumes of information: Use AI to analyze large volumes of information, such as survey data, to create industry-leading reports
- Optimize your content for search: AI can also take care of technical tasks such as integrating your target keywords and optimizing your outlines for search intent
For example, ContentShake AI can help you map out the content structure that’s more likely to rank and generate initial drafts.
You can then enhance them with personal anecdotes, research, data, statistics, and expert insights.
You can also use AI tools for tasks that are not directly related to content creation.
For instance, ChatGPT and its alternatives can analyze big chunks of data and summarize important information for your content.
I frequently use it to process research data and get extra ideas for my content.
I also use specialized AI tools like Perplexity and Zeno Chat to find real-life examples for my content. For example, when I want to take screenshots of tweets or Reddit posts:
2. Create Net-New Value Content
AI tools can now generate basic informational content in seconds. And search engines are getting better at directly answering user queries (think Google’s AI overviews).
This means that the old approach of simply recycling existing information won't help you stand out.
Think about it: if AI can compile and summarize information from across the web, what makes your content special?
The answer lies in adding value that AI simply can't replicate.
Here's how you can create content that truly stands out:
- Conduct meaningful research: Run your own surveys, analyze your internal data, go on field research, as REI’s team does, or combine existing data in new ways.
- Document real-world experiences: Share case studies about your customers and your own work. Talk about the challenges, add specific examples, and share the results you achieve.
- Build on expert insights: Don’t just collect random quotes from subject matter experts. Engage in real conversations with industry professionals who actively solve problems in your field. Challenge their assumptions, build on their ideas, and extra new insights.
- Create content that solves specific problems: Don’t write another generic how-to article. Instead, analyze specific questions your audience asks and tackle them with your content.
Strava’s content is a great example of how to do it right.
For instance, they analyze anonymized user data to produce annual reports on global fitness trends.
They also publish case studies of real users achieving their fitness goals, as well as blog posts featuring their real-life experiences.
3. Optimize Your Content
Technical optimization is still very important for SEO—I see this every time I publish new content.
Sure, original information is essential, but rankings follow certain rules. And while I wish SEO could give us more freedom and flexibility, that's usually not how it works.
It's not about stuffing keywords in or just checking boxes, though.
You need to understand search intent and create a great experience for your users.
For example, before I outline any content, I dig through the top-ranking articles for my target keywords.
I look for patterns in how they format things, how they structure their content, and so on.
This process can be time-consuming, but tools like ContentShake AI can make it faster and easier. It analyzes SERPs for you, helping to structure your articles for maximum impact.
Other optimization tactics I frequently use include:
- Improving readability and saying more with fewer words
- Adding visuals to help you break down complex concepts
- Aligning content with your audience and their needs
4. Diversify Your Traffic Sources
SEO is not going anywhere.
But that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on search engines to drive traffic to your site.
People are now searching for information across multiple platforms, like YouTube, TikTok, Reddit and Instagram. They also use AI chatbots to find answers to their questions.
If you want to stay ahead, you need to adapt.
Here's what Ross Simmonds says about it:
From YouTube to Reddit and TikTok to Instagram, the search behaviors of our audience are no longer limited to Google.
For those who want to prepare for it, the best thing they could do is to conduct in-depth channel-specific research around their audience, their customers, and their search intent associated with more diverse channels.
Upon conducting this research, they should be able to get more clarity into understanding how they can rank—not just in Google, but also in other channels.
And as a result of that, they will be able to implement generative engine optimization efforts to influence the responses that are coming back from AI overviews and other LLMs, by simply being in more places than their competitors.
Look for new channels and formats to generate traffic—newsletters, thought leadership content, product-led case studies, podcasts, or video.
For example, Andy Crestodina, the founder of Orbit Media, has been getting amazing results with his LinkedIn newsletter (over 200k subscribers!).
And it helps him attract and engage new audiences—despite all the SEO traffic drops we’ve seen this year.
AI Content on Google: What to Know Moving Forward
The data we discovered tells us something interesting: Google isn't punishing AI copy. But it does penalize low-quality content.
It's not about whether you use AI, it's how you use it.
The most successful marketers aren't replacing humans with AI. But they also don’t shy away from AI tools and don’t get obsessed with AI content detectors.
What does this mean for you?
Stop worrying about whether your content will be flagged as AI-generated. Focus instead on using AI to create better content, faster.
Let AI help with structure and research, but make sure you're adding your unique perspective and original insights that no one can replicate.
Ready to get started? Try ContentShake AI to create content that is set to rank high and engage your audiences.