Google’s New AI Search: What It Means for News Sites

Less Traffic and Money for News Sites

What Google’s New AI Search Does

Google has rolled out a new AI technology called Gemini in its search engine. This new feature gives you direct answers right at the top of the search page when you ask a question. This means you don’t have to click on websites to get your answers, which sounds great for users but not so great for news sites. These websites make money and get traffic from people clicking on them, and if people stop visiting, it could hit them hard financially.

The Problem for News Sites

Many news sites are already struggling with not having enough visitors, and Google’s Gemini could make this worse. When Google answers people’s questions directly, there’s less reason for them to visit news sites, which could mean less money for these sites to keep running. Danielle Coffey from the News/Media Alliance mentioned how big of a problem this could be for them.

How News Sites Are Reacting

They’re Worried

Right after Google announced this new feature, news sites were upset. They depend on ad money from site visits, and Google’s Gemini might cut down on their visitors. The News/Media Alliance, which represents many news publishers, voiced concerns about losing even more visitors.

It’s Been Tough Before

News sites and big tech companies like Google haven’t always had the best relationship. Google tries to work better with them than other companies like Meta, but it hasn’t been easy. For example, Google once blocked some news sites in California which didn’t help their relationship.

Google’s Side of the Story

Google Says It’s Good for News Sites

Google tried to calm things down by saying that the new AI search will actually help news sites because it will show more links and get more clicks for them. They believe this will actually bring more visitors to news sites.

But News Sites Are Still Not Convinced

Even with Google’s positive spin, news sites are skeptical. Marc McCollum from Raptive worries that the new AI search will cut down significantly on their traffic and affect their income. There’s a fear that this AI search might make it hard for human-written content to survive online.

What News Sites Are Doing About It

Some Are Teaming Up, Others Are Fighting

To deal with the rise of AI, some newsrooms are making deals with tech companies like OpenAI to use their old articles. On the other hand, some are taking legal actions, like The New York Times suing OpenAI for using their content without paying.

What This Could Mean for the Future

The future is still uncertain. News sites are trying to find the right balance between using AI and protecting their own work and income. How this plays out will really shape how we get our news in the future.

Google’s new AI feature Gemini could mean fewer visitors and less money for news publishers. There’s a lot of worry about what this means for the future of journalism.

FAQ: Google’s New AI Search and Its Impact on News Sites

1. Why are news publishers worried about Google’s new AI search feature?

News publishers are really stressed about Google’s new AI, Gemini, because it answers questions directly on the search page. This means people might not click through to news sites as much. Since many news organizations rely on clicks for their income, seeing a drop in visitors could seriously hurt their ability to make money and even keep operating. It’s a big change that could make it tough for your favorite news sources to survive.

2. How does Google believe Gemini will benefit news publishers?

Google is trying to reassure everyone that Gemini is actually good for news sites. They say that by providing more direct links in their AI summaries, they’ll help drive more traffic to news websites. Google claims these AI-enhanced links might even get clicked more than regular search links. They’re hoping this will ease some of the fears and show that they’re still committed to supporting news publishers.

3. What are news sites doing in response to Google’s new AI search?

News sites are split on how to respond to Google’s AI advancements. Some are trying to adapt by forming partnerships with big tech firms like OpenAI, where they can license their extensive archives of content. Others are taking a more confrontational approach by going to court, like The New York Times, which is suing to prevent their content from being used without proper compensation. It’s a mix of collaboration and conflict as they navigate these new tech challenges.

Sources CNN