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Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

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Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#31

Post by vgeek »

spankalee wrote: post #21

Google's damned if they do and damned if the don't here: - If they don't make search AI centric, they're going to get lapped by AI-first competitors like Perplexity, OpenAI, etc. We saw many people here predict Google's pending demise from this. - If they do make search centric, they're unfairly consuming they world's content and hoarding the user traffic to themselves. Since no reasonable company is just going to st…

We are getting to watch The Innovator's Dilemma play out, yet again. The downward trajectory of Google's utility has only been worsening over the past 10 years-- but only in the last 3-4 have mainstream audiences started to notice.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#32

Post by fumar »

Spivak wrote: post #20
junto wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that’s a good question. If they did their jobs properly, acting as the 4th estate, then I’d be much more supportive. However the last action I can remember that fulfilled checks and counterbalances was the publication of the Snowden files. After that the press died and it’s never recovered. Journalists are too scared and media companies neutered, and no longer have what it takes to call out the executive.

I mean Fox News seemed to be pretty darn good at calling out Biden and made it their personal mission to hate everything Obama touched. Why aren't people comfortable calling out Trump? Because he's made it clear he will and has retaliated against anyone who does. We've implicitly relied on the "courtesy" of the executive to just sit there and take it for the good of the country and public discussion. But now that tim…

Manufacturing consent from the media owners owners.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#33

Post by Infinity315 »

homeonthemtn wrote: post #25

[flagged]

We still need people on the ground reporting on these things. AI can't (yet) have connections and conversations with relevant parties. Many interviews would not be possible without a reporter developing a rapport with the interviewee beforehand.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#34

Post by dreghgh »

jaredwiener wrote: post #7

Honest question as I try to wrap my millennial brain around this -- for those of you who search for news -- with or without an AI -- what are you searching for? So much of news is finding out the unknown, it seems unsearchable by nature? Or are you asking for updates to a specific, ongoing story?

I would assume a lot of what is losing views on news sites are the articles designed to capture "what time is the super bowl" type searches. The article features the question in the title or standfirst, the answer comes after 3 paragraphs of low value information about the super bowl.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#35

Post by ThatMedicIsASpy »

oytis wrote: post #24

But... Google's AI summaries are wrong like at least 50% of the time.

You can help save the planet by asking AI less questions!

Yeah I have 0 trust in the responses I am getting so instead of verifying random claims I'm taking my own turns

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#38

Post by skywhopper »

rmah wrote: post #11
Tarsul wrote: post #6

Anyone surprised? I mean that's just what Google does and did from the very early days. I am more ashamed that politicians worldwide have done basically nothing to help media companies in the last 25 years. We can always ask ourselves: What is more important for our society: independent media or our search overlords?

Why should they help media companies?

They have to get the content they repurpose without permission from somewhere.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#39

Post by ekianjo »

Tarsul wrote: post #6

Anyone surprised? I mean that's just what Google does and did from the very early days. I am more ashamed that politicians worldwide have done basically nothing to help media companies in the last 25 years. We can always ask ourselves: What is more important for our society: independent media or our search overlords?

Media companies are heavily subsidized everywhere in the world and that's precisely because of politicians.

Re: Chatbots are replacing Google's search, devastating traffic for some publishers

#40

Post by egypturnash »

miltonlost wrote: post #37
homeonthemtn wrote: post #25

[flagged]

You're blaming news sites when the problem behind a lot of those issues is entirely Google's.

yyyyep, outsourcing all your ads to Google turned out to be a terrible idea.
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