Major news organizations are grappling with a crisis due to the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots, notably those promoted by Google and other major tech companies, which have significantly decreased website traffic.
Google has introduced an AI Overview feature in its search engines, moving away from the traditional “blue links” that direct users to external sites. With the launch of “AI mode” last month, the company is expected to further reduce direct links in favor of chatbot-like interactions and queries.
Nicholas Thompson, the CEO of The Atlantic, alerted his staff earlier this year to brace for a potential drop to zero in traffic sourced from Google over time. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, he stated, “Google is evolving from a search engine into an answer engine. We need to formulate new strategies.”
This drop in traffic is taking a toll on revenue in newsrooms that are already financially strained, leading to job cuts. For instance, after Business Insider eliminated 21% of its workforce last month, its leader, Barbara Peng, remarked that the layoffs were necessary to cope with “extreme traffic drops.”
Data from analytics firm Simorweb, referenced by the Journal, shows a dramatic increase in traffic to Business Insider’s sites, reporting a rise of 55% from April 2022 to April 2025. In contrast, HuffPost saw its traffic plummet by over half during the same timeframe, while the Washington Post, which has also faced layoffs, experienced nearly a 50% decline in its search audience.
William Lewis, CEO of the Washington Post, expressed serious concern, stating, “The introduction of AI-generated summaries instead of links poses a substantial threat to journalism that cannot be ignored.”
Google has not responded to requests for comments regarding these issues.
Despite claims of still directing traffic to news sites, critics, including the News Media Alliance—which represents numerous media organizations—are sounding alarms that Google’s AI innovations could have catastrophic effects on the news industry. They argue that Google and other AI companies have utilized news content to train their chatbots without providing appropriate credit or compensation, ultimately diminishing traffic.
Danielle Coffey, the CEO of the News Media Alliance, criticized Google’s AI mode rollout last month, calling it “theft.” She noted, “The link was the last lifeline for traffic and revenue for publishers. Now, Google utilizes content without offering anything in return, which is essentially theft. Solutions from the DOJ are necessary to curb one company’s overwhelming domination of the internet.”
This push for AI comes amid ongoing antitrust challenges against Google, as the company faces significant regulatory scrutiny regarding its business practices. US District Judge Amit Mehta is anticipated to determine by August how to address Google’s monopolistic hold on online searches, having previously categorized the company as a “monopoly” in an earlier ruling. The DOJ hopes that Mehta will consider the implications of AI when crafting the relief measures.
In another legal setback, Google was recently found to maintain two illegal monopolies over digital advertising technology. During that case, US District Judge Leonie Brinkema highlighted its detrimental effects on news outlets, noting that it significantly impacts Google’s publisher clients, its competitive operations, and, ultimately, the consumers seeking information on the internet.
The trial concerning digital advertising technology is slated to commence in September.
