Digital news publishers are caught in a challenging transition as AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT increasingly shape how users consume information. A recent analysis by digital market intelligence firm Similarweb reveals that while referrals from ChatGPT to news websites have surged dramatically, this growth falls short of compensating for a steep decline in organic search traffic caused by evolving user behavior.

Since the introduction of Google’s AI Overviews feature in May 2024, the share of news-related searches that end without users clicking through to actual news sites has jumped sharply—from 56% to nearly 69% by May 2025. This trend reflects a growing preference for receiving summarized news directly within AI-powered search results rather than visiting publishers’ websites.

Consequently, organic traffic to news publishers has fallen significantly, dropping from a peak of over 2.3 billion visits in mid-2024 to fewer than 1.7 billion in recent months. Despite this, news-related queries in ChatGPT have exploded, growing 212% from January 2024 through May 2025, highlighting the AI’s rising role as an information gateway.

Interestingly, ChatGPT-driven referrals to news publishers increased from under 1 million in early 2024 to more than 25 million by mid-2025—a remarkable 25-fold rise. However, this surge has only partially offset the broader decline in visits from traditional search engines.

Some outlets have benefited more than others from AI referrals. Reuters saw an 8.9% year-over-year increase in ChatGPT traffic, followed by the New York Post (7.1%) and Business Insider (6.5%). Meanwhile, The New York Times, embroiled in a legal battle against OpenAI over data usage, experienced a modest 3.1% rise in such referrals, indicating a complex landscape shaped by legal and strategic factors.

Current AI-driven news consumption focuses heavily on topics such as stocks, finance, and sports. Nevertheless, categories like politics, the economy, and weather are gaining traction, signaling a potential shift from reactive headlines toward more in-depth, issue-based engagement powered by generative AI.

User adoption of ChatGPT itself has surged alongside these referral trends. Website visitors grew by 52%, and app users more than doubled in the past six months alone, underscoring the platform’s expanding influence as a news source.

Publishers facing dwindling traffic are experimenting with new monetization strategies. Google recently launched Offerwall, a tool enabling publishers to explore alternatives to ad-dependent revenue, including micropayments and newsletter subscriptions. Some news organizations have implemented paywalls, while others have endured layoffs or closures as they navigate the rapidly changing digital ecosystem.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged these disruptions in a recent interview, noting that while AI will transform many jobs, the transition will cause significant short-term pain for workers and industries affected.

Source: TechCrunch – ChatGPT referrals to news sites are growing but not enough to offset search declines