AI and chatbots are strip searching Google: PR Pros and marketers must learn how to answer back
Google search, long the go-to for discovering information online, is undergoing another fundamental transformation—from a directory of blue links to an intelligent “answer engine.” “Intelligent” could also be in quotes for many people here too!
It’s latest Google I/O 2025 conference served as the final notice to publishers and marketers who relied on its 10 blue-links model that AI mode is now on! It firmly embeds chatbot capabilities into its search engine, aiming to give users the experience of having a conversation with an expert. While it hasn’t replaced traditional search just yet, it’s an indicative pathway towards Google Zero, where third-party links go the way of the dodo and information is directly exchanged between the searcher and search engine.
Already organic traffic to news outlets is dropping and fast. The main culprit behind it? The AI & Chatbots that are driving search!
PR pros need to take note and start thinking differently about keeping their brand visible and educate themselves about AI’s role in SEO.
The Google search timeline
Introduced in the U.S. in May 2024 and expanded globally throughout the past year, AI Overviews has dominated headlines for some time – for good and bad reasons. Remember when it recommended people eat rocks and put glue on pizza? For some time, these AI tools simply spouted nonsense, however developments have meant they can now not only provide real-time search but provide conversational capabilities too!
The change is seismic. Today, we focus on Google’s shifting role – from search engine to answer engine.
Currently, Google reports that AI Overviews are viewed over 1.5 billion times per month in more than 200 countries, driving over 10% of growth in queries where they appear in key markets. Just in January this year, we reported that 70% of consumers trusted generative AI results. Click-through traffic is now falling, with some losing 5–10% to AI Overviews alone, and niche sites are seeing cuts of up to 50%.
Panic at the newsroom: the AI takeover hits news sites
Newsrooms and content platforms are sounding the alarm. PR Daily reports that data shows a staggering 55% drop in organic search traffic to websites like Business Insider between April 2022–April 2025. Similar drops have been seen at HuffPost, the Washington Post, and other legacy outlets. At the New York Times, the share of traffic coming from organic search to the paper’s desktop and mobile websites slid to 36.5% in April 2025 from almost 44% three years earlier.
The AI-driven newsroom overhaul has been huge. Chatbots are driving traffic away from news sites faster than ever and it’s even led to layoffs and the creation of entire AI teams. Google’s shift from search engine to answer engine means big players to adjust strategies to keep up.
But what do journalists think?
A deep dive by my colleague Hannah into Cision’s annual ‘Global State of the Media Report’ revealed exactly what’s on their minds when it comes to AI – and it’s crucial that PR and marketers take note!
How to answer back! Why modern PR and marketing must speak AI and human
The same goes for PR, marketing, and SEO pros alike, who have been forced to rethink how to rank against AI in the search results.
While Google still remains a key source of browsing, SEO and content marketing strategies have different incentives now. Brands can get their content seen in other ways. Multichannel distribution provides a platform for originality, repurposing content and sharing across various channels such as social media, communities, podcasts (subtle plug here for our own Talking Propellor Heads), newsletters, and even PR and reporting allows content to build those important messages.
Now is definitely not the time to ditch Google completely, but it is time to get a grip on your own brand and content worth — and start to measure where its best impact resides. Consider the relevance of content, who it’s targeted for, and whether you have the correct entities in place. Try speaking the language of AI while maintaining human voice, and always remember your credibility! Contact the IBA team if you want to find out more!
Search has changed and PR strategies need to respond!
Google Search’s evolution into an AI-first, zero-click ecosystem is both remarkable and disruptive. It offers users swift, synthesized answers but threatens legacy content discovery, publisher livelihoods, and even quality standards.
For PR, marketing, and SEO pros the message is clear: adapt your message for AI but don’t rely on it. Diversify your distribution services, consider your audience, and stay mindful of this new era of search where visibility depends on more than just ranking.
Georgia Harris is PR Lead Themes at IBA International
