It is pointed out that traffic from Google search to news sites has dropped sharply and the introduction of 'AI-based summaries' will bring further crisis
An analysis by research firm Similarweb found that the number of people accessing major news sites from Google searches has dropped dramatically over the three years leading up to 2025. The Washington Post and other sites have seen their numbers drop by almost half, and companies are exploring the creation of business models that do not rely on Google search.
Google's New AI Tools Are Crushing News Sites - WSJ
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https://qz.com/goog-googl-ai-mode-threat-to-publishers-traffic-1851784169
Google's AI search features are killing traffic to publishers | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/10/googles-ai-overviews-are-killing-traffic-for-publishers/
Similarweb found that over the three years leading up to 2025, organic search traffic to HuffPost fell by just over half, and The Washington Post fell by roughly the same amount. Business Insider's traffic is down 55%, and the paper laid off about 21% of its employees in May 2025.
This decline is expected to be exacerbated by Google's 'AI-powered summaries.'
'AI Summary' summarizes the contents of a website and displays it in Google search results, but it is not thought to directly contribute to increasing the number of visitors to the source website, and there are concerns that it will affect the advertising revenue of the website. Since its introduction in the United States in May 2024, 'AI Summary' has been expanded around the world, and at Google I/O 2025 in May 2025, it was announced that 'AI Summary has significantly increased search traffic,' but there have also been many reports of a decrease in traffic to websites since its introduction.
Reports that website traffic has plummeted due to 'AI-generated summaries' appearing in Google searches - GIGAZINE
Google has stated that the 'AI summaries' are unrelated to the drop in traffic, stating, 'The reasons for the drop in traffic vary from case to case, and it would be misleading to generalize the causes.' 'Users who click on the source link after seeing an AI summary tend to spend more time on the site. Google prioritizes links to news sites, and does not necessarily show AI summaries when users search for trending news.'
However, major newspapers such as The Atlantic are not thinking like Google and are looking to build business models that are not dependent on Google search results. 'We need to evolve our business model to assume that Google traffic will approach zero. Google is shifting from a search engine to an answer engine, so we need to develop a new strategy,' said Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic.
In the face of declining search traffic, The Atlantic and Dotdash Meredith have launched strategies focused on connecting with readers. For example, they are working to build relationships with readers by holding events such as live conferences, improving their apps, and expanding print circulation.
Some news media are even suing AI companies, and the battle between AI companies and news media for their survival is intensifying. At the same time, new business models are emerging, such as news media signing contracts with AI companies to distribute news.
OpenAI announces multi-year deal with Wall Street Journal parent company News Corp - GIGAZINE
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