The Rise of Google’s AI Overviews: What It Means for Digital Journalism
In the rapidly evolving landscape of digital journalism, Google’s AI Overviews have emerged as a controversial and influential feature. Launched earlier this summer, this generative AI search capability aims to provide users with synthesized answers to their queries by scouring and compiling content from across the web. Powered by Google’s advanced language model, Gemini, AI Overviews have quickly made headlines—but not always for the right reasons.
Many journalists and news publishers have expressed deep concern over the inaccuracies and potential risks posed by this new feature. As AI Overviews began surfacing in searches, particularly in the U.S., users reported numerous instances where the AI-generated responses were not just misleading but outright dangerous. Examples of this include recommendations like “running with scissors for cardio” or “bathing with a toaster to relieve stress.” Such mistakes have underscored the limitations of AI in handling complex and sensitive information.
But beyond the sensational errors, there is a more profound anxiety within the journalism community. The concern is that AI Overviews could dilute the integrity of editorial content, misrepresent it, and ultimately drive down organic traffic to news sites by pushing external links out of the user’s immediate view.
The Impact of AI Overviews on Organic Search Traffic
Despite Google’s initial assurances that it would scale back the AI Overview feature following the backlash, it is clear now, several months later, that AI Overviews are here to stay. On August 15, 2024, Google expanded the feature to six more countries, including the U.K., Japan, India, and Brazil, and introduced it to searches conducted in Japanese, Hindi, and Portuguese.
This expansion has left news publishers across the globe grappling with how to adapt their SEO strategies to this new reality. To explore these concerns further, several leading audience strategists and SEO experts from prominent U.S. news outlets shared their thoughts on the implications of AI Overviews and how they are adjusting their approaches.
WNYC and Gothamist: Doubling Down on Owned Platforms
Veronica de Souza, the Director of Digital News and Audience at New York Public Radio, which includes WNYC and Gothamist, notes that while AI Overviews haven’t drastically altered their audience strategy, they have made the implementation of that strategy more urgent. WNYC’s approach centers on building direct relationships with its audience, primarily through owned-and-operated platforms like their app and newsletters.
De Souza emphasizes the dangers of relying too heavily on platforms like Google, which are outside their control. Each new feature, including AI Overviews, pushes external links further down the search results page, potentially diminishing traffic from organic search—a vital source for many news publishers. The unpredictability of Google’s algorithm changes, combined with the increasing prominence of Google Discover over traditional search, complicates this landscape even further.
Explore WNYC’s app
The Washington Post: Concerns Over Misinformation and User Trust
At The Washington Post, Bryan Flaherty, Deputy Head of Audience Strategy, voices significant concerns over the potential for misinformation and erosion of trust due to AI Overviews. Unlike existing features like “knowledge panels” or “people also ask” modules, which directly link back to the source, AI Overviews aggregate content from multiple sources without clear citations. This lack of transparency not only results in inaccuracies but also makes it difficult for users to assess the credibility of the information they’re presented with.
Flaherty warns that such issues could lead users to lose trust in Google as a reliable platform for news, potentially driving them toward non-traditional search platforms like YouTube and TikTok. This shift could have a profound impact on traffic to news sites, which rely heavily on search engines to reach their audiences.
Vermont Public: Local News and the Challenge of AI Overviews
For Vermont Public, a local news site covering a smaller state, the impact of AI Overviews has been less pronounced—so far. Mike Dougherty, Director of Digital Strategy, explains that the specific topics they cover often don’t trigger AI Overviews. However, he notes that this could change as the tools evolve and more users begin to rely on them.
Dougherty highlights an instance where an episode of their nationally distributed kids’ podcast, But Why, was pulled into an AI Overview. The resulting decline in clicks, despite steady impressions, suggests that users may be reading the AI-generated summary without feeling the need to click through to the full article. This trend is concerning for local news outlets that rely on organic search traffic to reach their audiences.
The Future of AI Overviews and News Publishing
As Google continues to roll out and refine its AI Overviews, news publishers are left in a precarious position. The balance between embracing new technologies and safeguarding the integrity of journalism is a delicate one. While AI Overviews offer a new way for users to interact with search results, the potential risks—ranging from misinformation to diminished organic traffic—cannot be ignored.
Ultimately, the future will likely involve a deeper collaboration between tech giants like Google and the media industry to ensure that AI technologies enhance rather than undermine the trust and accuracy that are the cornerstones of journalism. As news outlets continue to adapt, the focus will remain on delivering high-quality, trustworthy content that meets the evolving needs of their audiences.
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