Google has begun adding AI-powered summaries to Google Discover, the news feed section of the Search app on iOS and Android. With the new system, users now see AI summaries presented alongside logos from multiple publishers, rather than direct news headlines and website links. This development poses a direct threat to media organizations that receive traffic from the search giant.
Google Discover Offers AI Summaries
With the feature launched in the US, users can access information by simply skimming a short, generated excerpt without reading the entire story. Google states that summaries are not included in every news item, but that this is a direct launch, not a test run. The company states that it is focusing specifically on fast-paced categories like sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. Some summaries also include a “may be inaccurate” warning below.
Google claims that this system will allow users to more quickly understand which news is worth reading. However, the situation is different for publishers. Traffic to news sites is expected to decrease further with this change. While ad revenue is crucial, especially for small and medium-sized media outlets reliant on mobile traffic, such summaries can drive users away from their sites, leading to direct revenue loss.
Google recently launched a new system called Offerwall to compensate for the traffic loss experienced by publishers. With this system, users can fill out surveys, browse ads, or make micropayments to access content. However, for many publishers, this step is insufficient to counter the speed and depth of the traffic decline.
According to data shared by Similarweb, global search engine traffic decreased by 15 percent as of June 2025 compared to the same period last year. The percentage of news searches that did not convert into clicks increased from 56 percent in May 2024 to 69 percent in May 2025. Organic traffic volume, on the other hand, fell from 2.3 billion visits to less than 1.7 billion.
Google Discover has long been considered one of the most important sources of regular traffic for publishers. However, with the latest update, this channel has evolved into a structure that generates fewer clicks and offers more superficial information. AI summaries are both transforming the user experience and have the potential to have profound structural impacts on the publishing ecosystem.
