5 Key Takeaways
- AI-generated search summaries are significantly reducing clicks to news sites, threatening their ad and subscription revenue.
- Media outlets are experimenting with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to adapt content for AI models, but results are limited.
- Blocking AI crawlers protects content but reduces exposure, creating a dilemma for publishers seeking both protection and reach.
- Licensing deals and lawsuits are emerging as publishers demand fair compensation from AI companies using their content.
- The rise of AI as a news source, especially among young people, raises concerns about information reliability and the future of original journalism.
How AI Search is Shaking Up the News Industry – And Why It Matters to You
In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has changed the way we search for information online. Tools like ChatGPT and Google’s new AI-powered search features can now give you quick summaries of news stories, right at the top of your search results. While this might seem super convenient for readers, it’s causing big problems for news websites and the journalists who work for them.
Fewer Clicks, Less Money
A recent study by Pew Research Center found that when AI-generated summaries appear in search results, people are only half as likely to click on the original news links compared to traditional search results. For news websites, this is a disaster. These sites rely on visitors for advertising money and to convince people to buy subscriptions. If fewer people visit, they make less money – and that puts the future of quality journalism at risk.
A Struggling Industry Gets Hit Again
Even before AI search, news publishers were already struggling. Tech giants like Google and Facebook had taken a huge share of online advertising revenue, forcing many news outlets to focus on paid subscriptions. But subscriptions only work if people actually visit the site in the first place. Now, with AI giving people the news in a nutshell, there’s even less reason to click through.
Some publishers, like the Boston Globe, have seen a few new subscribers come in through AI tools like ChatGPT, but these numbers are tiny compared to what they get from other sources.
Fighting Back – Or Giving In?
To adapt, news companies are trying new tricks, like making their content easier for AI to find and understand (a strategy called Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO). But there’s a big debate: should news sites let AI companies “crawl” their content for free? Some have started blocking AI bots, demanding fair payment for their work. There have been some deals – for example, between the New York Times and Amazon, or Google and the Associated Press – but many legal battles are still ongoing.
Blocking AI might protect content, but it also means missing out on new readers. It’s a tough choice, and some publishers are starting to open up again, hoping for more exposure.
What’s at Stake?
This isn’t just about business. According to a 2025 report, about 15% of people under 25 now get their news from AI tools. But AI doesn’t always show where its information comes from, which can make it hard to know what’s true and what’s not. As Matt Karolian from the Boston Globe says, “Without original journalism, none of these AI platforms would have anything to summarise.”
The bottom line? If news sites can’t survive, we all lose out on trustworthy information. The hope is that tech companies and news publishers can find a way to work together – before it’s too late.
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