With the evolution of AI technology in recent years (not to mention its new, virtually unrestricted access to the public) has led to a massive increase in AI-written content online. From websites and blogs to video scripts and even entire novels, AI-written content is everywhere—and it’s not always easy to spot. However, Google has been working rapidly to learn how to find this kind of content and punish the websites where it’s found by dropping their search engine rankings. Keep reading to learn more about how Google is punishing websites for low-quality spam and AI-written content.
Google’s Anti-Spam Efforts
Google has been fighting spam websites since before the AI evolution. They’ve spent years refining their algorithms to reward high-quality, trustworthy content while penalizing spam and keyword manipulation. With recent updates in 2024 and 2025, Google made it clear that the days of gaming their system are over. Their ranking systems now un-ironically use advanced AI to detect spammy behavior more accurately—and of course, a lot of that spam content is often written by AI. This means that websites that rely on keyword stuffing, mass-produced AI content, and link manipulation are quickly being flagged, losing their visibility, and even getting entirely deindexed.
Penalizing Low-Quality and AI-Written Content
While AI can be a powerful tool for content creation—and a powerful tool for detecting it—Google’s latest updates target sites that use AI for the sole purpose of producing large volumes of shallow, repetitive, and/or irrelevant content. If your pages only exist to attract clicks and not to help readers find answers, then Google’s algorithms will recognize that lack of value. The emphasis now is on experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness—a system that Google calls EEAT.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use AI to help with your content at all. Rather, it means that your content should be AI-assisted, not AI written, and it must still be human-focused and genuinely helpful. Websites that fail to meet this standard will most likely see a drop in their rankings and a loss in website traffic. Google’s message is clear: automation can’t replace authenticity, accuracy, and human insight.
No Tolerance for Link Abuse
Once upon a time, buying backlinks or using link farms was a quick way to climb in the rankings. But now, it’s one of the fastest ways to get penalized. Google now evaluates links not just by quantity, but by context and credibility. If your backlinks are coming from irrelevant, low-authority, or spammy sources, they’re more likely to hurt your rankings than help them. This intolerance of link abuse also extends to manipulative internal linking, excessive anchor text use, and linking networks between multiple sites owned by the same company. Google sees these tactics as attempts to deceive, not to inform.
While AI can seem like a fast way to get content on your site, low-quality, spammy, AI-written content is more likely to damage your reputation and your online presence. Instead, work with a reputable SEO company in Kansas City to develop a strategy that prioritizes human-driven, high-quality content.
