Google Discover AI customization will let users tune their feeds with prompts
Google is rolling out a prompt-based Discover control that lets users request more or less of specific topics or links.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
2 min read
Google Discover AI customization is set to give users a new way to shape the content in their feed: typing requests for more or less of particular topics or links. Google says the prompt-based control is rolling out in the Google app in the coming days, according to reports published Aug. 20.
The change puts conversational requests into Discover, Google’s feed of recommended content. Users will be able to describe their preferences in their own words, while Google says it will use those requests to adjust the feed and retain them for later visits, 9to5Google reported.
How do I customize the Google Discover feed with a prompt?
Users can open the option from Discover’s three-dot menu, or from a dedicated card when it is available, according to 9to5Google and The Verge. They can then enter a request identifying subjects or links they would like to see more or less often.
The interface can ask follow-up questions to further narrow the request, 9to5Google reported. The Verge said it shows users the kinds of content it plans to prioritize and allows them to add detail before selecting “Refresh your feed” to apply the changes.
The feature is intended to make preference-setting more specific through a written request. Google has previously offered topic-level feedback in Discover, letting people ask for more or less content on a subject, according to a 2018 Google post.
When will the new Discover control be available?
Reports on Aug. 20 said the rollout would begin in the coming days through the Google app. Google did not provide detailed availability by country, device or account in the reporting reviewed.
The update is separate from other Google search and publisher products. It is not Google’s AI Mode or AI Overviews, and it is also distinct from Preferred Sources, a tool for readers to identify publishers they want surfaced more often across Google products, according to 9to5Google.
What else did Google announce?
Google also introduced personalization for daily audio briefings in the Google News app on Android, The Verge reported. 9to5Google said listeners can select broad categories such as business, sports, science and technology, then choose more specific subtopics.
For Discover users, the immediate practical change is the option to state preferences directly instead of relying only on the feed’s recommendations. Google’s description says the system will remember those requests, though the reports did not specify what technology powers the feature or how it will perform for different users.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.