For several consecutive months, Google consistently maintained a confident narrative, insisting that the state of the web was not only healthy but in fact thriving, and firmly rejecting concerns that the rise of artificial intelligence was eroding online traffic or jeopardizing the ecosystem of digital discovery. Executives repeatedly emphasized that its search products were continuing to drive users toward a broader diversity of websites than in previous years, highlighting how the platform was dispersing traffic more widely than ever before. However, this carefully constructed portrayal was cast into doubt when, in a legal filing submitted just last week, Google conceded a very different reality: that the so-called “open web” is already undergoing what it described as a phase of rapid decline. This striking admission, first noticed by industry observer Jason Kint and subsequently reported by outlets such as Search Engine Roundtable, marked a significant departure from Google’s earlier public messaging.
The disclosure appears in a court document filed in advance of a major antitrust trial that will explore the future of Google’s dominance within the advertising technology sector. At the heart of the case lies the U.S. Department of Justice’s proposal that Google’s advertising arm be separated or broken apart as a remedy for its monopolistic power. In response, Google argued in its filing that such a drastic intervention would not solve the problem but rather intensify an already deteriorating situation, claiming the dissolution would hasten the decline of the open web and thereby disadvantage publishers who rely heavily on revenue from open-web display advertising. In other words, the company positioned itself not as a harmful monopolist, but as a stabilizing force whose continued integration supposedly shields independent publishers from even greater harm.
This statement stands in stark contrast to the optimistic narrative Google has been promoting publicly. The company has strong incentives in a courtroom context to present itself as vulnerable instead of invincible, portraying its market influence as less dominant, and its future less certain, than competitors or regulators might otherwise argue. Yet, while strategic in nature, the acknowledgement also reflects a reality that resonates with many in the publishing world. Numerous digital media outlets, including smaller independent operators and niche content creators, have reported significant downturns in site traffic—a trend frequently linked to the dual forces of evolving Google Search algorithms and the growing prevalence of AI-powered chatbots that often deliver answers directly to users without requiring a click-through to source websites.
These tensions were brought into the public eye as recently as May, when, during an episode of the tech podcast *Decoder*, Google’s Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai responded to mounting concerns surrounding the rollout of AI-driven search tools. He reaffirmed the company’s position that traffic was continuing to be channeled to an increasingly wide array of publishers, portraying Google as a facilitator rather than a gatekeeper. Likewise, Nick Fox, senior vice president overseeing Google’s knowledge initiatives, echoed this same perspective on the *AI Inside* podcast. He defended the company from accusations that its changing search experience was starving the open web of traffic, asserting that, from Google’s vantage point, the web was still vibrant and expanding.
Nevertheless, independent data and external research studies suggest contradictions in Google’s position. A recent report from the Pew Research Center found that users exposed to Google’s new AI-generated “Overview” summaries are less inclined to click on external links. While this research sparked widespread conversation, Google’s own executives sought to diminish the implications. Liz Reid, who heads the Google Search division, countered by declaring that, compared with the previous year, overall clickthrough rates have remained relatively stable and that Search continues to direct billions of visits to websites daily. Through such statements, Google endeavors to reassure publishers and regulators alike that its technological innovations, far from undermining digital traffic flows, continue to support a robust exchange of information across the open web.
In sum, the juxtaposition of Google’s legal admissions with its public proclamations demonstrates a complex and somewhat contradictory stance: in front of regulators, the company portrays the open web as fragile and endangered, while in the marketplace and media, it portrays the same environment as flourishing under its stewardship. This inconsistency underscores the precarious position of online publishers, who must navigate declining advertising revenues and shifting algorithmic currents at the very moment when the mechanisms of discovery and distribution are being profoundly reshaped by artificial intelligence.
Sourse: https://www.theverge.com/news/773928/google-open-web-rapid-decline
