Kimber Matherne, a food blogger from Florida, has raised concerns about the impact of Google's new AI-driven search tool called "Search Generative Experience" (SGE) on her website traffic. As Google prepares for its annual developer conference, Google I/O, Matherne and other content creators are apprehensive about the tool’s expanded use, which provides detailed answers to user queries directly on the search page, potentially reducing visibility for external links. Matherne’s blog, Easy Family Recipes, which attracts millions of monthly visitors mostly via Google, could see significant traffic declines, affecting her revenue.
The SGE tool tends to place website links lower on the search results page, making them less accessible and likely to be visited. Industry experts like Ross Hudgens from Siege Media predict a decrease in web traffic from search engines by as much as 10 to 20 percent for some publishers. Moreover, Michael Sanchez, CEO of Raptive, estimates about $2 billion in potential losses for creators due to these changes. Google, on the other hand, asserts it is rolling out AI features cautiously, prioritizing useful internet traffic.
Google began testing generative AI in search engines following the introduction of ChatGPT by OpenAI. However, the use of copyrighted material to train these AI models has led to legal challenges, including a lawsuit from MediaNews Group.
The ongoing shift toward AI in web searches reflects broader changes in internet dynamics, possibly concentrating the flow of information through fewer corporations. As a response, Matherne plans to reinforce her blog's presence across social media and email to adapt to the changing landscape.