AI vs Human Content: What Does Google Prefer?  

What Is Generative AI?

Generative AI is software trained on massive datasets of existing text. It learns patterns in language and uses those patterns to predict what words should come next. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude don't really think. They generate statistically probable text based on what they've already processed.

When you ask a generative AI tool to write a blog post, it pulls from patterns in its training data. It doesn’t have lived experience or genuine expertise. The output can look polished, but it can also be confidently wrong. AI tools have no mechanism for knowing when they've produced inaccurate information. They generate text that sounds plausible, whether or not it's true.

There's also a knowledge ceiling. Most generative AI tools have a training cutoff date, which means they may not have access to current events, recent industry changes, or updated regulations. For businesses in fast-moving industries, the gap can turn published content into a liability. Local SEO in Los Angeles takes the hardest hit if there's outdated information about regulations, service areas, or pricing. 

How Algorithm Updates Exposed Weak AI Strategies

A lot of businesses discovered AI content tools in 2023 and started publishing at volume. Traffic went up briefly until Google updated its algorithms. Then some of those sites lost their ranking positions. In some cases, they dropped off the first page within a single core update cycle.

The main issue is that AI-generated content produced without human oversight shares the same structural patterns and generic examples. When large volumes of structurally similar, low-value content are published, search visibility declines. Google’s systems reward originality and usefulness, so templated content doesn’t perform as well long-term. A site that’s publishing dozens of subpar AI-generated pages day after day could be building a content library that Google has less and less reason to trust.

AI tools also hallucinate. They generate plausible-sounding information that's factually wrong. In industries like healthcare, law, or finance, publishing inaccurate content can create serious problems. And unlike a human writer who can verify a claim before hitting publish, an AI tool doesn't flag its own errors.

What Google Says About AI Use

Google's official position is that it doesn't penalize AI-generated content just because AI was involved. What Google evaluates is that the content is helpful, original, and created with the user in mind. In other words, Google cares most about whether or not the content is helpful for readers.

The issue arises when AI tools are used to generate hollow content at scale without review. Unedited AI output is vague, repetitive, and overly broad. It may summarize information that already exists online without adding anything new. In more serious cases, it generates inaccurate claims, outdated statistics, or misleading explanations. Accuracy is incredibly important for local SEO readers who are close to a decision. Wrong information sends them somewhere else.

Nobody stays on a page that wastes their time. If the answers aren't clear or the information turns out to be wrong, users will probably leave. When engagement drops and trust signals weaken, rankings soon follow. Google's systems are built to reward pages that demonstrate value and reliability.

Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines emphasize EEAT, which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. AI tools can be used to assist writers, but without the real-world experience behind AI SEO content, the signals that Google looks for aren't likely to be there.

Why Human Writers Still Outperform AI

Search engines have gotten better at identifying content written by someone who knows the subject. The businesses ranking well in competitive categories right now have content with accurate sourcing, specific details, and a clear point of view. AI SEO strategies that rely on low-quality generated filler content are running a long-term risk for short-term volume. The businesses ranking well in competitive categories have content that earns reader trust and holds its ranking through updates.

Are You Publishing Content That Builds Authority?

AI tools can't replace the human judgment needed to write well. If your current content isn't converting traffic or holding its ranking positions, the issue is almost always quality, not quantity. Publishing more thin content faster makes the problem worse. iBoost Web hires real humans with hands-on content writing experience. If you want a website that stays ranked, contact our team to find out how we can help.