AI Chatbots Are Reshaping the News Industry
In an era where artificial intelligence is transforming how people access information, traditional news outlets are facing a profound traffic crisis. A recent Similarweb report reveals that while referral traffic from ChatGPT to news sites is on the rise, it’s not enough to compensate for the plummeting traditional search traffic.
Instead of turning to Google for their queries, users are now increasingly relying on chatbots like ChatGPT. This behavioral shift is significantly impacting the organic traffic of news websites, particularly since Google launched its AI Overviews feature in May 2024.
From Google to Generative AI: A Changing Landscape
The study indicates a striking change: 69% of news-related Google searches no longer lead to a click-through, up from 56% a year ago. As a result, organic traffic has dropped from over 2.3 billion visits in mid-2024 to under 1.7 billion in 2025.
Meanwhile, news-related queries on ChatGPT have surged by 212% from January 2024 to May 2025. This signals that a growing number of users now prefer summarized, direct answers from AI over clicking links and navigating entire news websites.
ChatGPT Referral Traffic Is Climbing — But Slowly
Despite the decline in search engine-driven traffic, ChatGPT referrals to news publishers have jumped from under 1 million in early 2024 to 25 million in 2025. But while this figure is promising, it still doesn’t fully make up for the lost billions in page views.
The most notable beneficiaries include Reuters (+8.9%), New York Post (+7.1%), and Business Insider (+6.5%). Interestingly, The New York Times, which is currently involved in a lawsuit against OpenAI, has still seen a modest 3.1% gain in referrals and remains in the top 10.
Top Topics Driving Chatbot Interest
ChatGPT users are particularly interested in stocks, finance, and sports, with politics, weather, and the economy also seeing significant traction. These themes highlight what matters most to audiences using AI as an alternative source for breaking and curated news.
Monetization Struggles and Downsizing Hit Newsrooms
As AI usage grows, news publishers are grappling with monetization. Many have pivoted to paywalls and subscriptions, while others are downsizing staff due to budget constraints caused by dwindling traffic.
In a recent podcast, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the issue, saying:
“Some professions — even whole categories — may disappear. Every lost job causes real pain.”
While Altman believes AI can be a net positive for society, his statement underlines the serious disruption facing journalism today.
A Glimmer of Hope: New Content Monetization Models
In response to these trends, Cloudflare launched its “Pay per Crawl” service in July. This new initiative aims to create a fair marketplace where content creators can license access to their work for AI companies. It’s an early attempt to balance innovation with compensation, though many believe more regulation and transparency are needed.
Conclusion: News in the Age of AI Needs Reinvention
AI chatbots are no longer just novelties—they’re rapidly becoming dominant platforms for information consumption. While ChatGPT referrals are growing, they are currently insufficient to replace lost search engine traffic, forcing newsrooms to adapt or perish.
The challenge for publishers now is reimagining their value proposition, finding ways to coexist with AI, and developing sustainable monetization models that ensure journalism can thrive in this new digital landscape.
