New data reveals Google AI summaries cut publisher traffic 10%

Google’s AI Summaries have caused significant traffic declines for major publishers, with median year-over-year referral traffic from Google Search dropping 10% in just eight weeks, according to new data from Digital Content Next (DCN). The nonprofit, which represents household names like The New York Times, Bloomberg, and NBC News, warns that AI-generated summaries could lead to “fewer sources, weaker journalism, and a less informed public” as publishers struggle with reduced click-through rates.

The big picture: Google’s AI Overviews, which began their nationwide rollout in May 2024, are fundamentally changing how users interact with search results—and not in publishers’ favor.

• The Pew Research Center found that only 8% of users click on links when presented with AI summaries, compared to 15% for traditional search results.
• Meanwhile, 26% of users end their browsing session at the AI Overview, versus just 16% who stop after viewing traditional search results.

Key details: Non-news brands took the heaviest hit, experiencing a 14% year-over-year decline in referral traffic over the eight-week period.

• News brands fared slightly better but still saw a 7% drop in traffic from Google Search.
• Some publishers reported click-through declines as steep as 25%.
• Certain weeks proved particularly brutal—news brand referrals plunged 16% during the week of May 25, while non-news brands fell 17% in the week of June 22.

What publishers want: DCN has proposed several remedies to address what it calls Google’s “search monopoly” behavior.

• Force Google to disclose auditable data on AI Overview click-through rates.
• Give publishers the ability to block their content from AI-generated answers without losing search visibility.
• Require Google to strike fair licensing deals with content creators.
• Have regulators treat AI Overviews as part of Google’s search monopoly.

What they’re saying: DCN framed the issue as a matter of preserving digital journalism’s viability.

• “This is not a call for special treatment. It’s a call to preserve the integrity of the open web,” said a DCN spokesperson.
• “We must ensure that the same AI ‘answers’ users see at the top of Google Search don’t become a free substitute for the original work they’re based on.”

Google’s response: The search giant maintains that AI Summaries actually improve user engagement quality, even if overall traffic decreases.

• Google claims the feature increases “high-quality clicks,” where users spend more time browsing websites after clicking through.
• Currently, there’s no way to completely disable AI Summaries, though users can take steps to limit their appearance.