AI news summaries to affect the future of journalism

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT significantly impact traditional online news by reducing search traffic to media websites.

As these AI assistants summarise news content directly in search results, users are less likely to click through to the sources, threatening already struggling publishers who depend on ad revenue and subscriptions.

A Pew Research Centre study found that when AI summaries appear in search, users click suggested links half as often as in traditional search formats.

Matt Karolian of the Boston Globe Media warns that the next few years will be especially difficult for publishers, urging them to adapt or risk being ‘swept away.’

While some, like the Boston Globe, have gained a modest number of new subscribers through ChatGPT, these numbers pale compared to other traffic sources.

To adapt, publishers are turning to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), tailoring content so AI tools can be used and cited more effectively. Some have blocked crawlers to prevent data harvesting, while others have reopened access to retain visibility.

Legal battles are unfolding, including a major lawsuit from The New York Times against OpenAI and Microsoft. Meanwhile, licensing deals between tech giants and media organisations are beginning to take shape.

With nearly 15% of under-25s now relying on AI for news, concerns are mounting over the credibility of information. As AI reshapes how news is consumed, the survival of original journalism and public trust in it face grave uncertainty.

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