Google was originally built around the idea of helping create an open internet by connecting users with information across millions of websites, The New York Times reports.
Through traditional search, Google directed people to external sites, becoming one of the world’s most powerful companies by acting as a gateway to the open web.
The rise of AI-powered search is changing that model. Google’s AI Mode provides conversational answers generated by Gemini instead of relying only on lists of links, allowing users to find information without necessarily visiting outside websites.
As a result, people are spending more time on Google, while many publishers and businesses that relied on search traffic are reporting declines in visitors.
Some publishers warn that “Google Zero,” a future where Google sends little or no meaningful traffic to websites, is already happening. Supporters of the open web argue that AI search could weaken the economic system that supports independent websites by giving users answers without requiring them to visit the original sources.
Google disputes these concerns, saying its AI search features continue to send billions of clicks to the web and that it remains committed to supporting the online ecosystem. The company has introduced features such as website previews, preferred sources and publisher tools to encourage connections between users and websites.
Despite Google’s response, organizations such as Wikipedia and other publishers report challenges from declining human traffic and increasing AI-related data collection. Regulators, including the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority, have begun requiring changes to improve transparency, attribution and publisher control.
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