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as chatgpt and other ai tools become popular sources of information, traditional search engines like google are seeing a decline in user traffic to news websites. users now get instant answers from ai without clicking on external links, reducing visibility and revenue for publishers. while chatgpt is beginning to drive some traffic back, it hasn’t been enough to make up for the loss from search engines, leading to major shifts in how news is consumed and monetized online.
ChatGPT referrals to news websites have skyrocketed in the past year. According to Similarweb, these referrals grew from under 1 million in early 2024 to over 25 million by mid-2025 — a massive 25x increase. This shows a significant shift in how users consume news, turning more frequently to AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT for their updates.
Despite this dramatic rise, the growth in ChatGPT traffic still isn’t enough to make up for the steep drop in search engine traffic. Users are now often getting news summaries directly from AI tools without clicking through to the original news sites, leaving publishers with reduced traffic and fewer monetization opportunities.
Since Google introduced its AI Overviews in May 2024, the number of “clickless” news searches has risen significantly — from 56% to 69% by May 2025. This means more users are finding their answers directly on Google without needing to visit news websites, cutting off a major source of traffic for publishers.
Organic traffic to news publishers has declined drastically, dropping from over 2.3 billion visits in mid-2024 to under 1.7 billion now. Traditional search engine optimization (SEO), which once drove consistent traffic, is no longer delivering the same value as AI tools take center stage.
Stocks, finance, and sports are currently the most common topics in news-related ChatGPT prompts. However, there is also increasing interest in broader topics such as politics, the economy, and weather. This reflects a shift toward more complex, issue-based engagement with news content through AI tools.
In response to these traffic declines, Google has introduced a tool called Offerwall. This allows publishers to monetize content through alternative methods like micropayments or newsletter signups. Meanwhile, many publishers are testing paywalls and other strategies — though some have already faced layoffs or closed their operations entirely.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently acknowledged the disruptive impact of AI on jobs in an interview. He admitted that entire job categories might disappear and noted that while such changes may benefit society long-term, they can cause real and painful losses for individuals and industries in the short term.
