Publishers express concern over Google's AI-enhanced search, predicting severe consequences.
On Tuesday, Google shook up the search landscape by announcing they would incorporate their advanced AI model, called Gemini, into their search engine. This means that Google will now directly answer user queries at the top of search results, eliminating the need for users to click on the displayed links. While this may sound convenient, it could have dire consequences for news publishers who are already struggling with decreasing traffic.
The revamped search experience is likely to further reduce the already small audience for news publishers, potentially depleting their readership and income. Why bother clicking on a link when Google has already gathered the necessary information with its AI?
This news was met with concern and alarm from the news industry, who were quick to raise their voices in opposition. Danielle Coffey, CEO of the News/Media Alliance, which represents over 2,000 news publishers, said, "This will be catastrophic to our traffic, as Google marketed this feature as a way to further satisfy user queries, leaving even less incentive to click through to monetize our content."
According to Coffey, "Google will take care of the legwork," referring to the human-written articles and expertise published across the internet on blogs and media outlets, all of which rely on advertising support. This is a reversal from the days when newsrooms and Big Tech companies worked together, with Google maintaining a slightly better relationship with publishers than some of its counterparts. However, recent decisions by tech giants, such as Mark Zuckerberg's de-prioritization of news articles and Google temporarily blocking California news outlets from search results in response to a bill that would force it to pay publishers, have strained relations between the two groups.
In a statement, Google claimed that the AI changes would actually help news companies, stating that AI Overviews generate more clicks on links than traditional web listings. But given the history of Big Tech and its relationship with the publishing industry, this claim is unlikely to provide solace for publishers who have experienced so many blows from these companies in recent years.
Already, skepticism is beginning to arise about Google's claims. Marc McCollum, chief innovation officer at Raptive, pointed out that their initial analysis suggests the changes will significantly reduce search traffic to content creators' websites, impacting their ad revenue and even their very existence. "This change could put the future of the open internet in danger," he warned.
Increasingly, news publishers are working with tech giants like OpenAI to ensure that their content can be licensed and utilized in new ways. However, with the rapid progression of A.I. and its potential impact on the news industry, publishers are feeling pressed for time, having to rapidly adapt to these new technologies. Some, such as The New York Times, have taken a more aggressive approach, filing lawsuits against the creator of ChatGPT.
The future of the news industry remains uncertain in the face of these advances. As A.I. continues to develop at a breakneck pace, publishers will have to be agile, making difficult decisions and potentially forging new alliances to ensure their survival.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/14/media/google-ai-news-traffic/index.html
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The integration of AI into Google's search engine could potentially disrupt the business model of media outlets, as users might rely on AI-generated answers instead of clicking on news links. This shift in user behavior could significantly impact the revenue of media companies that rely on advertising.
Facing these challenges, some media outlets are collaborating with tech companies like OpenAI to explore new licensing opportunities for their content, recognizing the need to adapt rapidly to technological advancements in the industry.
Source: edition.cnn.com
