Website publishers, from news outlets to investment banks, are pushing back against Google’s AI Overviews, claiming the feature cuts click‑through traffic and affiliate revenue. Studies cited by publishers show click rates dropping from fifteen percent to eight percent, and revenue losses of more than a third. Google’s head of search disputes the findings, saying overall organic click volume remains stable. The dispute has escalated to a lawsuit by Penske Media Corporation, which owns The Hollywood Reporter and Rolling Stone, alleging significant financial harm from the AI summaries. Read more →

Penske Media Corporation, the publisher of Rolling Stone and The Hollywood Reporter, has become the first major American media company to sue Google over its AI Overviews that appear at the top of search results. The publisher alleges the summaries divert traffic, cut affiliate revenue by more than a third, and use its content without compensation. Google defends: “with AI Overviews, people find search more helpful.” The filing joins other recent lawsuits against Google and AI firms, including actions by Chegg and independent European publishers, highlighting growing tension between news outlets and AI‑driven platforms. Read more →