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From 2019 to 2024: AI-Generated Google Reviews Increased by 279.2%

We studied the presence of AI in Google Reviews from 2019 to 2024 to analyze its impact for consumers and businesses. These are our findings.

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Introduction

Our text compare tool is a fantastic, lightweight tool that provides plagiarism checks between two documents. Whether you are a student, blogger or publisher, this tool offers a great solution to detect and compare similarities between any two pieces of text. In this article, I will discuss the different ways to use the tool, the primary features of the tool and who this tool is for. There is an FAQ at the bottom if you run into any issues when trying to use the tool.

What makes Originality.ai’s text comparison tool stand out?

Keyword density helper – This tool comes with a built-in keyword density helper in some ways similar to the likes of SurferSEO or MarketMuse the difference being, ours is free! This feature shows the user the frequency of single or two word keywords in a document, meaning you can easily compare an article you have written against a competitor to see the major differences in keyword densities. This is especially useful for SEO’s who are looking to optimize their blog content for search engines and improve the blog’s visibility.

Ways to compare

File compare – Text comparison between files is a breeze with our tool. Simply select the files you would like to compare, hit “Upload” and our tool will automatically insert the content into the text area, then simply hit “Compare” and let our tool show you where the differences in the text are. By uploading a file, you can still check the keyword density in your content.

URL compare

Comparing text between URLs is effortless with our tool. Simply paste the URL you would like to get the content from (in our example we use a fantastic blog post by Sherice Jacob found here) hit “Submit URL” and our tool will automatically retrieve the contents of the page and paste it into the text area, then simply click “Compare” and let our tool highlight the difference between the URLs. This feature is especially useful for checking keyword density between pages!

Simple text compare

You can also easily compare text by copying and pasting it into each field, as demonstrated below.

Features of Originality.ai’s Text Compare Tool

Ease of use

Our text compare tool is created with the user in mind, it is designed to be accessible to everyone. Our tool allows users to upload files or enter a URL to extract text, this along with the lightweight design ensures a seamless experience. The interface is simple and straightforward, making it easy for users to compare text and detect the diff.

Multiple text file format support

Our tool provides support for a variety of different text files and microsoft word formats including pdf file, .docx, .odt, .doc, and .txt, giving users the ability to compare text from different sources with ease. This makes it a great solution for students, bloggers, and publishers who are looking for file comparison in different formats.

Protects intellectual property

Our text comparison tool helps you protect your intellectual property and helps prevent plagiarism. This tool provides an accurate comparison of texts, making it easy to ensure that your work is original and not copied from other sources. Our tool is a valuable resource for anyone looking to maintain the originality of their content.

User Data Privacy

Our text compare tool is secure and protects user data privacy. No data is ever saved to the tool, the users’ text is only scanned and pasted into the tool’s text area. This makes certain that users can use our tool with confidence, knowing their data is safe and secure.

Compatibility

Our text comparison tool is designed to work seamlessly across all size devices, ensuring maximum compatibility no matter your screen size. Whether you are using a large desktop monitor, a small laptop, a tablet or a smartphone, this tool adjusts to your screen size. This means that users can compare texts and detect the diff anywhere without the need for specialized hardware or software. This level of accessibility makes it an ideal solution for students or bloggers who value the originality of their work and need to compare text online anywhere at any time.

The importance of Google Reviews cannot be overstated.

Sure, brands may tell you that they are the best at what they do, as it’s their job to convince you that is the case.

One way to check whether or not that was true — whether a particular brand really was the best — was to look at Google reviews.

After all, who is better placed to tell you whether or not a brand meets expectations than a fellow consumer?

That said, the rise of AI-generated content has brought online reviews into question. We are all aware that AI-generated reviews exist, but to what extent?

In this study, we aim to identify the true impact of AI-generated content in the context of Google reviews to help businesses and consumers better understand what they are reading online.

Objectives of the Study

  • Considering that we’ve already seen the impact of AI on Airline reviews, holiday shopping reviews, and even Google search results, we wanted to study it in the context of Google Reviews. 
  • Further, we wanted to shed light on whether there would be a similar rise in AI-generated content in Google reviews, just as we’ve seen in the previously mentioned studies.
  • If there was a rise we wanted to evaluate how much that rise was and how it tracked from 2019 to 2024. 

Overall, our analysis aims to discuss what the effects could be for consumers and businesses and what people should do to help counteract the rise in generated content.

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

  • From 2019 to 2024, the proportion of AI-generated reviews on Google grew by a whopping 279.2%.
  • AI-generated reviews nearly doubled from 12.21% in 2023 to 19% in 2024.
  • That means nearly one in five Google reviews were AI-generated last year alone.

19% of Google Reviews in 2024 Were Likely AI

The pie chart above reveals a clear division between AI-generated and human-generated Google reviews in 2024. 

Notably, 19% of the reviews were identified as AI-generated, while the majority, 81%, were created by humans

This distribution highlights that while AI is playing an increasingly prominent role in content generation, it remains secondary to human authorship, at least for now.

Yet, the fact that nearly a quarter of the reviews are AI-generated is significant and signals the growing integration of AI tools in digital content

Businesses might be leveraging AI to streamline review generation, fill gaps in feedback, or create a more robust online presence.

Further, the presence of 19% of reviews as AI also raises important ethical and practical questions

If used irresponsibly, AI-generated reviews could mislead consumers and harm brand trust. Businesses may face scrutiny from platforms and consumers if the use of AI in reviews becomes too prominent or is perceived as deceptive. 

The appearance of any AI-generated content suggests that monitoring and regulation, such as through AI detection, may be needed to ensure transparency and maintain consumer trust.

While AI in Google Reviews is rising, humans still contribute the majority of reviews

The fact that 81% of reviews in 2024 were human-generated reviews indicates a continued reliance on organic feedback.

This is likely driven by the perceived authenticity and relatability of human-written reviews. 

It suggests that consumers are still actively contributing their own reviews and are more likely to trust or engage with content that reflects genuine human experiences and emotions.

However, this could change in future, as AI becomes increasingly integrated into everyday life.

2019 to 2024 Saw a 279.2% Increase in AI Google Reviews 

The data reveals a sharp increase in the rate of AI-generated reviews between 2019 and the end of 2024. In 2019, the AI-generated review rate stood at 5.01%

By the end of 2024, this rate had climbed dramatically to 19%.

This reflects a 279.2% increase from 2019 to 2024

The substantial growth of Google reviews that are Likely AI highlights:

  • The increasing integration of AI technologies into the review ecosystem.
  • The rise in the proportion of AI-generated reviews, alongside a growing total number of reviews, suggests that AI content is becoming a dominant force in online feedback. 

The significant jump in the rate from 12.21% in 2023 to 19% by the end of 2024 may indicate a tipping point where AI-generated reviews are no longer a marginal phenomenon but a mainstream element of review platforms. 

This underscores the importance of understanding the implications of AI-generated content for both consumers and businesses.

What The Rise in AI-Generated Google Reviews Means for Consumers and Businesses

For businesses, the increase in AI review rates presents both opportunities and risks

  • On the one hand, AI-generated reviews can enhance engagement by providing structured and consistent feedback. 
  • On the other hand, the potential misuse of AI to generate fake or misleading reviews poses a significant threat to consumer trust. 

Platforms must invest in advanced AI detection tools and transparent policies to address these challenges and maintain credibility.

From a consumer perspective, the growing prevalence of AI-generated reviews may create uncertainty around the authenticity of feedback

If consumers lose confidence in the reliability of reviews, it could impact purchasing decisions and the perceived value of online feedback systems.

Final Thoughts on AI-Generated Google Reviews

In conclusion, the rapid rise in AI-generated review rates from 5.01% in 2019 to 19% by the end of 2024 signals a profound transformation in the digital review landscape. 

While 19% of AI-generated reviews showcase the potential of AI in augmenting digital interactions, the dominance of human-written content at 81% underlines the enduring importance of authenticity. 

Businesses should carefully balance efficiency gains from AI tools with the necessity of fostering genuine consumer trust to succeed in the competitive online marketplace.

As this trend continues, businesses and platforms must prioritize transparency, authenticity, and trust to navigate the evolving challenges and opportunities presented by AI-generated content.

Not sure if a review you’re reading is human-written or AI-generated? Use the best-in-class Originality.ai AI Checker to find out.

Methodology

1. Defining the Search Scope

1.1 Geographic Locations
The study targets the 15 most populous North American cities, using their names and geospatial coordinates to ensure search results focus within city boundaries.

1.2 Categories
Twenty predefined categories (e.g., “hospital,” “pharmacy,” “restaurant”) were selected to capture reviews from various public, commercial, and cultural establishments.

2. Data Collection via Google Places API

2.1 Place Discovery
Using the Google Places Text Search API, queries for each city-category pair include:

  • query: Category name (e.g., “hospital”)
  • location: City latitude and longitude
  • radius: 15,000 meters
  • key: Google API key

Paginated results are retrieved systematically by handling next_page_token responses.

2.2 Review Retrieval
Place details and reviews are extracted via the Google Places Details API. Each request specifies:

  • place_id: Unique establishment identifier
  • fields: Required fields (e.g., name, reviews)
  • key: Google API key

The API returns up to five reviews per place, including text, rating, and timestamp, converted to a readable format.

3. Data Management

3.1 Structuring Data
Reviews are stored as dictionaries containing establishment name, review text, rating, review date, and city name, ensuring consistency for analysis.

3.2 Incremental Saving
Data is saved to a CSV file after every 500 reviews to minimize memory usage and protect against data loss. Header rows and progress tracking ensure seamless recovery in case of interruptions.

3.3 Final Dataset
Remaining reviews are saved after processing all city-category combinations, ensuring a comprehensive dataset.

4. Considerations and Limitations

  • API Constraints: Only up to five reviews per place are retrieved.
  • Rate Limits: Delays (2 seconds) are added for paginated results to comply with API policies.
  • Geographical Precision: A 15,000-meter radius may include areas outside city centers.
  • Data Quality: Reviews are user-generated and may require cleaning to remove spam or irrelevant content.

Madeleine Lambert

Madeleine Lambert is the Director of Marketing and Sales at Originality.ai, with over a decade of experience in SEO and content creation. She previously owned and operated a successful content marketing agency, which she scaled and exited. Madeleine specializes in digital PR—contact her for media inquiries and story collaborations.

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In The Press

Originality.ai has been featured for its accurate ability to detect GPT-3, Chat GPT and GPT-4 generated content. See some of the coverage below…

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Originality.ai did a fantastic job on all three prompts, precisely detecting them as AI-written. Additionally, after I checked with actual human-written textual content, it did determine it as 100% human-generated, which is important.

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I use this tool most frequently to check for AI content personally. My most frequent use-case is checking content submitted by freelance writers we work with for AI and plagiarism.

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After extensive research and testing, we determined Originality.ai to be the most accurate technology.

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Jon Gillham, Founder of Originality.ai came up with a tool to detect whether the content is written by humans or AI tools. It’s built on such technology that can specifically detect content by ChatGPT-3 — by giving you a spam score of 0-100, with an accuracy of 94%.

Felix Rose-Collins

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ChatGPT lacks empathy and originality. It’s also recognized as AI-generated content most of the time by plagiarism and AI detectors like Originality.ai

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it important to check for plagiarism?

Tools for conducting a plagiarism check between two documents online are important as it helps to ensure the originality and authenticity of written work. Plagiarism undermines the value of professional and educational institutions, as well as the integrity of the authors who write articles. By checking for plagiarism, you can ensure the work that you produce is original or properly attributed to the original author. This helps prevent the distribution of copied and misrepresented information.

What is Text Comparison?

Text comparison is the process of taking two or more pieces of text and comparing them to see if there are any similarities, differences and/or plagiarism. The objective of a text comparison is to see if one of the texts has been copied or paraphrased from another text. This text compare tool for plagiarism check between two documents has been built to help you streamline that process by finding the discrepancies with ease.

How do Text Comparison Tools Work?

Text comparison tools work by analyzing and comparing the contents of two or more text documents to find similarities and differences between them. This is typically done by breaking the texts down into smaller units such as sentences or phrases, and then calculating a similarity score based on the number of identical or nearly identical units. The comparison may be based on the exact wording of the text, or it may take into account synonyms and other variations in language. The results of the comparison are usually presented in the form of a report or visual representation, highlighting the similarities and differences between the texts.

String comparison is a fundamental operation in text comparison tools that involves comparing two sequences of characters to determine if they are identical or not. This comparison can be done at the character level or at a higher level, such as the word or sentence level.

The most basic form of string comparison is the equality test, where the two strings are compared character by character and a Boolean result indicating whether they are equal or not is returned. More sophisticated string comparison algorithms use heuristics and statistical models to determine the similarity between two strings, even if they are not exactly the same. These algorithms often use techniques such as edit distance, which measures the minimum number of operations (such as insertions, deletions, and substitutions) required to transform one string into another.

Another common technique for string comparison is n-gram analysis, where the strings are divided into overlapping sequences of characters (n-grams) and the frequency of each n-gram is compared between the two strings. This allows for a more nuanced comparison that takes into account partial similarities, rather than just exact matches.

String comparison is a crucial component of text comparison tools, as it forms the basis for determining the similarities and differences between texts. The results of the string comparison can then be used to generate a report or visual representation of the similarities and differences between the texts.

What is Syntax Highlighting?

Syntax highlighting is a feature of text editors and integrated development environments (IDEs) that helps to visually distinguish different elements of a code or markup language. It does this by coloring different elements of the code, such as keywords, variables, functions, and operators, based on a predefined set of rules.

The purpose of syntax highlighting is to make the code easier to read and understand, by drawing attention to the different elements and their structure. For example, keywords may be colored in a different hue to emphasize their importance, while comments or strings may be colored differently to distinguish them from the code itself. This helps to make the code more readable, reducing the cognitive load of the reader and making it easier to identify potential syntax errors.

How Can I Conduct a Plagiarism Check between Two Documents Online?

With our tool it’s easy, just enter or upload some text, click on the button “Compare text” and the tool will automatically display the diff between the two texts.

What Are the Benefits of Using a Text Compare Tool?

Using text comparison tools is much easier, more efficient, and more reliable than proofreading a piece of text by hand. Eliminate the risk of human error by using a tool to detect and display the text difference within seconds.

What Files Can You Inspect with This Text Compare Tool?

We have support for the file extensions .pdf, .docx, .odt, .doc and .txt. You can also enter your text or copy and paste text to compare.

Will My Data Be Shared?

There is never any data saved by the tool, when you hit “Upload” we are just scanning the text and pasting it into our text area so with our text compare tool, no data ever enters our servers.

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