Google's AI search mode under fire: publisher speak of “theft” and fear for their existence

End of the classic internet search? The profound consequences of Google's AI market power

Google's new AI mode marks a dramatic turning point in the history of the internet search and triggers one of the most controversial debates about digital copyrights and market power. The News/Media Alliance, which represents over 2,000 media companies from the USA and Canada, describes Google's latest innovation as “the definition of theft” and warns of the consequences for the media landscape. This development could not only herald the end of the traditional internet search, but also raise fundamental questions about the future of digital journalism and the balance of power on the Internet.

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Technical revolution of Google search

The new AI Mode: Chatbot instead of search engine

With the introduction of AI Mode, Google has carried out a radical paradigm shift that fundamentally changed the functioning of the Internet search. CEO Sundar Pichai described this innovation as a “complete reinvention of the search” during the annual Google I/O developer conference. The AI ​​Mode, which is currently only available in the USA, works like a chat bot and enables users to ask complex questions and develop follow-up questions, similar to chatt or other conversational AI systems.

The technical architecture of AI Mode is fundamentally different from conventional search results. Instead of presenting a list of links, the system uses a so-called “fan-out technique”, in which a single user request is divided into up to 16 different individual requests. These expanded Reasoning capabilities enable the system to access your own knowledge graph-a gigantic database of content that has been collected from the entire web. The system can also answer complex, multi -layered questions, “even ten questions in one”, as Google puts it.

Extended functionalities and personalization

AI mode goes far beyond the existing AI overviews and offers various specialized search functions. This includes deep search for profound research with source information, live search for real-time inquiries with video and audio, agentic functions for task-based searches and shopping-specific search functions. Particularly noteworthy is the planned personalization of the system, which should enable users to link their Gmail data and other Google services in order to integrate “more personal context” into the search queries.

Google also plans to introduce Project Mariner, a AI agent who can take control of browser and other software to autonomously carry out complex tasks such as travel bookings or purchases. This development signals Google's ambition to develop from a pure search engine into a comprehensive AI assistant.

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The publisher revolution: existential threat to media companies

“The definition of theft”: Hard criticism of the news/media alliance

The sharpest criticism of the new AI Mode comes from Danielle Coffey, the President and CEO of News/Media Alliance, which has been one of the most influential voices in the discussion between technology groups and media companies since 2023. Coffey, who previously worked as an executive Vice President and General Counsel of the organization for eight years, has extensive experience in the Advocacy and Strategy for Digital Media Distribution. Your criticism of Google is clear and uncompromising: "Now Google simply takes content and uses it without paying. This is the definition of theft".

The News/Media Alliance argues that links in the Google hit lists were “the last positive quality” of the search engines because they gave the released traffic and sales. The new AI Mode, on the other hand, provides information and answers to user questions, “without the multitude of links to conventional Google search available”. This development threatens the core business model of most online media that rely on advertising revenue from website visitors.

Economic effects on the media industry

The economic consequences of AI fashion for the media industry could be devastating. Studies already show that AI overviews reduce the click rates on average by 34.5%. The AI ​​Mode goes one step further, since, unlike AI overviews, it no longer shows organic search results and thus completely eliminates the traditional “10 blue links”. Industry experts fear that website operators could suffer traffic losses of up to 40%.

These dramatic declines in the number of visitors have a direct impact on the advertising revenue that is the main source of income for many media companies. Particularly smaller media companies could face existence -threatening challenges, since they often do not have resources to develop alternative business models. The 9to5google search engine experts warn that the project “could mean the end for many media companies”. A possible consequence could be that editors are increasingly relying on cheap, inferior content to reduce their costs.

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The opt-out dilemma: Google's “all-or-nothing” strategy

Discused compromise solutions

Google's decision is particularly controversial to offer publishers no selective opt-out options. Internal documents published in the context of ongoing cartel procedures show that Google had certainly thought about selective opt-out options for publishers. However, this possibility was ultimately rejected because, according to Elizabeth Reid, the head of Google Search, it would have been “extremely complex”.

This decision forces media companies into an impossible choice: You can either exclude your content from the training of the AI ​​models, but would then no longer appear in the search results, or you have to accept that your content is used in AI generated answers without remuneration. For smaller media companies, the complete exclusion from Google search is practically synonymous with the disappearance from the Internet, since Google is still the dominant search engine.

The problem of the current opt-out mechanisms

The opt-out options currently available are practically worthless for publishers. Website operators can deactivate snippets, but they rarely appear in AI overviews anyway. Publisher effectively only has the option of completely disappearing from the search results, which is an intolerable option for most. This “all-or-nothing” strategy strengthens Google's market power and significantly limits the options of action of the content manufacturers.

Google defends this strategy with the argument that selective opt-outs would be technically too complex and could impair the functionality of AI fashion. However, critics see this a conscious decision to disregard the rights of content manufacturers in favor of their own product development.

Legal and regulatory challenges

EU examinations and compliance issues

The European Union has already initiated intensive studies on Google's AI overviews, which could also extend to the new AI fashion. The EU Commission checks whether the AI ​​generated content violates European copyright regulations and how they are in line with the tightened competitive requirements of the Digital Market Act (DMA) and the platform editions of the Digital Services Act (DSA).

The examination is particularly relevant with regard to the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), which is intended to protect the media diversity. The EU attaches great importance to the fact that citizens have access to a variety of editorially independent media content. Google's AI overviews could endanger this diversity by making users less inclined to visit the original sources.

The Brussels authority also examines whether Google's procedure violates the prohibition of self -provision by treating the company its own services in the search results. These investigations are part of a broader enforcement of the DMA against large technology groups after Apple has received a fine of 1.84 billion euros due to similar practices.

Cartel procedure in the USA

In the United States, media organizations are calling for the Ministry of Justice to use the ongoing antitrust proceedings against Google to take action against AI. The News/Media Alliance argues that measures have to be taken to restrict Google's dominance on the Internet and prevent further concentration of the market power.

The legal challenges are reinforced by the fact that Google introduced AI Mode without public announcement of the new data use. This “silence” introduction of such a fundamental change in the way in which publisher content is used increases the criticism of Google's non-transparent approach.

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Alternative business models and industry solutions

Successful cooperation models

While many publishers see the development critically, some innovative companies have already found alternative ways to cooperate with AI search engines. A prominent example is the partnership of the Spiegel Group with Perplexity AI, which was announced in July 2024. This cooperation shows what constructive cooperation between media companies and AI providers can look like.

The partnership gives the mirror a share of the advertising revenues that are generated with its content on the platform of perplexity. It is important that the mirror content is not used for training a voice model, but only for display in the search results. The Hamburg publishing group emphasizes that it decides which content it makes available to perplexity, keeping control of its content.

Requirements for sales participation

The German Cultural Council and other organizations call on Google to react in good time and to participate in the authors as well as rightsers such as publishers in the sales of providers of generative AI. This demand for fair compensation reflects a growing awareness that AI systems could not work without the original content manufacturers.

The discussion about share of sales is particularly relevant because Google with its search business in the first quarter of 2025 $ 50 billion in advertising revenues-more than half of the $ 90 billion for alphabet. These enormous income is in a strong contrast to the falling revenue of the content manufacturers, whose work forms the basis for Google's AI.

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Technological disruption and market dynamics

The competition for the future of the search

Google's introduction of AI Mode is a direct reaction to the growing competition through AI chatbots such as chatt and perplexity. These new competitors focus on delivering direct answers instead of traditionally presenting a list of Web links, like Google. The success of these alternative searches has urged Google to fundamentally rethink its decades -old business model.

However, the transformation is associated with considerable risks for Google's core business. Investors are concerned that the new AI products could cannibalize the traditional search business. The AI ​​Overviews already available have already led to a decline in the click rates to advertisements, on which the company is dependent on a large part of its income.

Subscription models as a new source of income

With the switch to AI, Google is increasingly moving away from its traditional advertising -financed business model. The company has introduced various subscription plans, including a standard “Ki-Pro” plan for $ 25 per month and one “Ultra” package for $ 250 per month. This pricing is even more expensive than Openai's top animal offer of $ 200 per month and signals Google's intention to position AI functions as a premium service.

This development could fundamentally change the internet landscape because it favors a paid, closed system compared to the traditionally open and free web. For many users, this could make access to information more difficult and enlarge the digital gap.

Global effects and future prospects

Delayed introduction to Europe

AI Mode is currently only available in the USA, and Google has not yet announced a specific schedule for the introduction to Europe. The company justifies this delay with the regulations applicable in the EU, in particular the Digital Markets Act (DMA). This regulatory caution shows that European data protection and competition laws can certainly influence the product development of large technology groups.

The delayed introduction offers European regulatory authorities and media companies the opportunity to learn from the experience in the United States and to develop preventive measures. The already ongoing EU investigations on Google's AI overviews could create important precedent for dealing with AI fashion.

Long-term consequences for the Internet ecosystem

The introduction of AI Mode could have far-reaching consequences for the entire Internet ecosystem. If AI-generated answers replace the traditional search, this could lead to a fundamental redesign of the web. Smaller websites and blogs could disappear because they no longer get traffic from search engines. This would reduce the variety of votes on the Internet and increase the concentration of power with a few large technology groups.

At the same time, the development could lead to a deterioration in information quality. If content manufacturers can no longer achieve income from their work, they could be forced to switch to inferior content or to completely stop their work. This would undermine the basis for high-quality AI answers and start a vicious circle.

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A turning point for the digital age

Google's AI Mode marks a historical turning point in the development of the Internet and asks fundamental questions about digital copyrights, market power and the future of the information distribution. The sharp criticism of the publisher, led by the News/Media Alliance and its President Danielle Coffey, makes it clear that this development goes far beyond technical innovation and raises existential questions for the media industry.

The discussion between Google and the publishers reflects a greater conflict between technological innovation and traditional business models. While Google argues that AI Mode is a natural evolution of the search and offers better user experiences, publishers see their livelihood threatened. Google's “all-or-nothing” strategy strengthens these tensions and leaves little space for compromises.

The regulatory studies in the EU and the ongoing cartel procedures in the USA will probably be crucial for how this technology is developing. The decisions of the coming months could not only determine the future of internet search, but also create precedent for dealing with AI technologies and digital platforms.

It will be crucial for the media industry to develop innovative business models and at the same time to fight for fair compensation. The example of the SPIEGEL PLEXITY partnership shows that constructive cooperation is possible, but they require a rethink of both technology companies and media organizations.

Ultimately, not only the future of individual companies is at stake, but the question of how the Internet can be preserved as a source of diverse and high -quality information. The answer to this question will significantly determine whether the Internet will continue to remain an open, diverse medium in the future or develop into a system controlled by a few large actors.

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Konrad Wolfenstein

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