As of December 2025, Google’s systems are increasingly capable of identifying content generated by large language models like ChatGPT, though detection isn’t a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and isn’t publicly reported on a per-URL basis. The core mechanism relies on analysing patterns in text – specifically, predictability and stylistic consistency – that differ from human writing.
Google’s Helpful Content System, now including updates rolled out throughout 2025, assesses content quality based on numerous signals. This system doesn’t specifically flag “AI-written” content, but rather prioritises content created *for* users, not search engines. In December 2025, Google Search Central documentation confirms the system considers factors like sentence structure, word choice, and overall coherence. Google’s AI-powered spam detection also continually evolves; in 2026, this will likely incorporate more sophisticated analysis of text generation ‘fingerprints’. While there’s no specific Australian rollout difference in these systems, Australian websites are subject to the same global algorithms. Google has stated publicly that automated content generation isn’t inherently against their guidelines, but content *primarily* created for ranking purposes will be demoted.
Ultimately, Google’s systems function by evaluating content quality and originality, and increasingly identifying patterns associated with automated text generation, rather than simply identifying the tool used to create it.
