Google deploys AI chatbot to let users tailor Discover feed
The new tool allows users to describe content preferences in a conversational interface, while updates to Preferred Sources aim to help publishers retain traffic against AI-driven search.
Google is rolling out a new artificial intelligence feature that allows users to customise their Discover feed through a chatbot-style interface. The update, which is being introduced to the Google app in the coming days, enables users to describe their content preferences in plain language. The system will then use AI to automatically tweak the feed and remember those settings for future visits.
To access the feature, users can navigate to the three-dot menu on their Discover feed. Tapping the option opens a conversational interface where users can specify what they wish to see. The chatbot confirms the user’s choices and outlines the types of content it will prioritise, with an option to add further details if the initial selection is not accurate. Once satisfied, users can hit “Refresh your feed” for the changes to take effect.
This move comes as Google Discover, which serves up recommended articles based on user activity across the company’s search engine and apps, faces competition from other platforms. Several social media applications, including YouTube, Instagram, Bluesky, and X, have recently added similar AI-driven methods for feed customisation.
Alongside the Discover update, Google has announced the ability to personalise daily audio briefings in the Google News app on Android. These changes are described as features readers will “soon” be able to use, suggesting that the full suite of customisation tools is not yet available to all users.
A significant update has also been made to the Preferred Sources feature, which allows users to see more of their favourite outlets across Search’s “top stories” section, AI Overviews, and AI Mode. Publishers can now place an interactive “Preferred Sources” button directly on their websites. This allows readers to quickly add the outlet to their list of preferred sources without navigating away from the webpage.
The Preferred Sources feature was initially rolled out in May 2026 and integrated into AI experiences such as AI Mode and AI Overviews. As of that launch, Google reported that users had selected over 345,000 unique sources through the feature. The new interactive button is designed to help online publishers retain reader traffic as AI-driven search features reduce direct clicks to websites.
