Digital news providers face imminent threat of mass extinction due to Google's advanced AI-driven search technology
In the digital landscape, Google's AI Overviews have been causing a stir among online publishers. Since their introduction in May 2024, these AI-generated summaries have significantly altered search user behaviour, leading to a decline in web traffic for numerous publishers.
According to recent data, there's been a roughly 30% overall decrease in clicks on search results, despite a nearly 49% increase in impressions. This indicates that users are seeing content more but engaging less by clicking through, as they are increasingly relying on the AI Overviews for answers [1].
Specific publisher declines have been reported. For instance, CNN's site traffic dropped about 30%, while Business Insider and HuffPost saw around a 40% reduction. The Verge has also observed clear traffic decreases aligning with the rise of AI Overviews [1].
A study of hundreds of reputable sites found traffic drops nearing 50% within one year of the AI Overview rollout. Users were clicking on source sites only about 8% of the time when AI summaries appear, compared to 15% without them [2].
Broader analyses show that 79% of web publishers lost traffic between 2023 and 2025, with nearly half facing 60% or more decline. This "great decoupling" means impressions rise while clicks fall, as users consume AI-generated content snippets on Google without visiting sites [3].
Independent research confirms that organic click-through rates for top-ranking pages have dropped by about 34.5% on average post-AI Overviews, with some publishers reporting declines from 40% to 90% based on the presence of AI content summaries [4].
The phenomenon, sometimes called "zero-click search" or Google Zero, presents an existential challenge for online publishers who are heavily reliant on search traffic for revenue, as they see dwindling visits despite often higher visibility.
In response, some publishers are exploring new monetization strategies outside traditional click-driven advertising. For example, The Verge is focusing on subscriptions, podcasts, newsletters, and making its website more like social media to attract and retain readers.
Tech startup Scrunch AI is also assisting publishers and companies in being highlighted by leading AI tools. Meanwhile, some publishers are taking AI companies to court, including The New York Times' federal copyright suit against OpenAI.
Google disputes the methodology of the Pew study, claiming that clicks from AI Overviews are of higher quality, with readers spending more time on websites. However, researchers like Jaźwińska argue that AI is no replacement for the fact-finding of human reporters.
It's important to note that specialized publications with a steady stream of subscriber revenue are more insulated than sites that rely exclusively on traffic. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, it's clear that online publishers will need to adapt to survive.
[1] The Washington Post [2] Pew Research Center [3] The Information [4] Ahrefs
- Despite the rise in impressions, users are engaging less with online content, as indicated by a 30% overall decrease in clicks on search results, due to the increasing reliance on Google's AI Overviews for answers.
- The decline in traffic is not exclusive to large publishers like CNN, Business Insider, and HuffPost; a study have found that hundreds of reputable sites have lost around 50% of their traffic within one year of the AI Overviews rollout.
- Traditional click-driven advertising is becoming less profitable for publishers due to the "great decoupling," a phenomenon where impressions rise while clicks fall, causing 79% of web publishers to lose traffic between 2023 and 2025, with nearly half facing 60% or more decline.
- In a bid to survive in the digital landscape, some online publishers like The Verge are exploring new monetization strategies such as subscriptions, podcasts, newsletters, and creating website experiences similar to social media to attract and retain readers.
- In understanding the impact of AI-generated content summaries on publishers, there's an ongoing debate between Google's claim that clicks from AI Overviews are of higher quality and researchers' view that AI cannot replicate the fact-finding capabilities of human reporters.
