Google's AI-driven search changes are upending online publishing, with some outlets now preparing for a future without the search giant. The shift began in 2024 with AI Overviews, which place AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, often pushing traditional links down. In May 2025, Google launched AI Mode, a chatbot-like interface that provides detailed summaries instead of a list of links.
The impact on publishers has been severe. Traffic to major news sites has dropped significantly, prompting concerns that the longstanding symbiotic relationship between Google and publishers is breaking down.
Google's AI search features
Google introduced AI Overviews in 2024, a feature that generates a summary of web pages at the top of search results, with links to sources placed below. The News/Media Alliance called it potentially 'catastrophic' for web traffic. By August 2024, AI Overviews were already replacing media sites in top search positions for some queries.
In May 2025, Google furthered its AI search vision with AI Mode, which replaces the standard search engine with a chatbot-like experience that returns detailed summaries from across the web.
Traffic declines hit publishers
Data shows a clear decline in search traffic to several major publishers. A June 2025 report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that Business Insider, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and the WSJ itself have seen traffic drop since 2022. Similarweb data cited by the WSJ indicated that search traffic to The New York Times fell from 44 percent to 35.5 percent over three years.
The trade association Digital Content Next (DCN), which represents outlets like Bloomberg, The Associated Press, The New York Times, Condé Nast, and Vox Media, reported that between May and June 2025, 19 of its members experienced traffic losses on Google.
