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ChatGPT referrals to news sites are growing, but not enough to offset searchdeclines
Referrals from ChatGPT to news publishers increased significantly, reaching over 25 million in 2025, but this growth can't compensate for the overall decline in searches and web traffic. As AI usage rises, news publishers face challenges, with many sites seeing significant traffic drops, prompting them to explore alternative monetization strategies.
Key points
- ChatGPT referrals to news sites grew from under 1 million in early 2024 to over 25 million in 2025, marking a 25x increase.
- Decline in organic search traffic worsened, with clicks to news sites dropping from 2.3 billion in mid-2024 to under 1.7 billion in 2025.
- AI-generated searches resulted in 69% of news searches having no click-throughs as of May 2025.
- Some publishers, like Reuters and NY Post, saw notable increases in referral traffic, while others, like The New York Times, reported a minimal increase amidst legal challenges.
- ChatGPT promotes deeper engagement on diverse topics, with a marked increase in user adoption both on its app and website.
- To mitigate traffic losses, Google introduced 'Offerwall' for alternative monetization strategies like micropayments, while layoffs and shutdowns increased among struggling publishers.
Why it matters
- The rise in AI news consumption reflects a significant trend in 2025 towards automated information dissemination, impacting traditional roles within the news industry.
- Similarweb's findings align with broader concerns over job displacement due to AI, as reflected in OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's insights.
- The struggle of news publishers highlights ongoing debates on content protection and monetization in the age of AI.
Despite a significant growth in ChatGPT referrals, traditional news publishers continue to face dire challenges with declining traffic, prompting a shift towards alternative revenue models as the industry adapts to an AI-dominated landscape.