Google has introduced a new AI tool in its search engine that could change the internet forever. Some people think this tool will make the internet better, while others worry it could cause big problems for websites. One thing is clear – the internet is entering a new phase, called the “machine web.”
The internet is built on a basic agreement — websites allow search engines like Google to access and use their content for free. In return, Google Search helps drive visitors to those websites, where people can shop or view ads. This traffic is how most websites earn their income.
It’s said that 68% of what people do online starts with a search engine. And about 90% of searches are done on Google. You can think of the internet like a garden, and Google is the Sun that helps everything grow.
This system has worked well for years. But now, a small change might be the start of something big. Soon, Google Search will include a new AI tool. You might find it useful. But some experts think this could hurt the internet.
They worry that good information might become harder to find, and many people might lose their jobs. On the other hand, some believe this change could actually fix the current problems with the web. They say it might help people find better content and improve the way websites earn money.
No matter what, your experience online will change – maybe for better, or maybe for worse.
On 20 May 2025, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai spoke at a big tech event. He talked about AI Overviews, which are short AI-written answers that show up at the top of Google Search. These have been around for about a year. But now, Google is going even further.
Sundar Pichai announced a brand-new feature called AI Mode – a completely new way to use Google Search. This is a full redesign of how search will work in the future.
Google Search is used around five trillion times every year. That’s a huge number. So, any change to it can deeply affect how the internet works for everyone.
AI Mode: Is It Changing the Future of the Internet?
Google has introduced a new feature called AI Mode. Before, when you searched something on Google, it showed you a list of website links. But now, with AI Mode, Google gives you a direct answer — like a short article — written by AI. It works like a chatbot that gives full replies to your questions. Right now, it’s only available to users in the U.S. and shows as a button in the Google app or search page.
Liz Reid, the head of Google Search, said, “This is the future of Google Search.”
So, What’s the Problem?
Many experts and website owners are worried. They say if AI Mode becomes the default (the main setting), it could be very harmful for websites. Why? Because people will get their answers from AI directly and won’t click on websites anymore. If no one visits websites, the people who run them won’t earn money — and that’s a big problem for millions of creators.
Lily Ray, a well-known SEO expert, says that if AI Mode stays on by default, it could destroy the income of many publishers and content creators. Google will have full control, and small websites will suffer.
What Does Google Say?
Google says these fears are not true. They say that AI Mode and AI Overviews actually help users and make search better. A Google spokesperson said, “We still send billions of clicks to websites every day, and connecting people to the web is still important to us.”
Google also says that with AI, people can ask more types of questions and discover new content.
But the Internet Is Changing
One thing everyone agrees on — whether they support or criticize AI Mode — is that the internet is going to change a lot in the next year. The internet is not ending, but the way we find and use information will change.
Social media is still doing well. Big websites with paywalls are still earning. But what’s in danger is the “open web” — the part of the internet where anyone can create and share content freely, like blogs, review sites, and small news pages.
Back in 2010, some people also said “the web is dying.” But the web survived apps, smartphones, and social media. Still, experts believe AI Mode is a much bigger threat than those earlier changes.
Experts Fear a Big Drop in Website Traffic
Barry Adams, another SEO expert, says websites won’t disappear completely, but they will lose a lot of traffic. He calls it “decimation,” meaning a big reduction.
Google disagrees. They believe AI tools like AI Overviews and AI Mode will send better quality traffic to websites. But they haven’t shown strong data to prove this. Also, they haven’t explained exactly how AI Mode affects websites.
Critics say the issue is simple: If AI gives users the full answer, why would anyone click on a website?
Click-Through Rates Are Dropping
Studies show that AI Overviews have already caused a drop in website visits by 30% to 70%, depending on the type of search. And today, around 60% of Google searches end without any clicks — meaning people find what they need without visiting any site.
Experts believe that if AI Mode becomes the default setting for everyone, things will get worse. Users won’t see the usual list of links — just AI answers. That could mean a 50% or more drop in clicks to websites, even in the best case.
Not Just About Blogs — It’s About the Whole Web
This is not only about bloggers losing their jobs. It’s about how people use the internet.
Gisele Navarro, editor of HouseFresh (a product review site), says that if AI replaces traditional search, people may see less variety in the information they find. She compares it to asking a librarian for a book and getting only a summary, not the actual book or options.
Google Says the Web Is Growing
Google says these problems are being overstated. They claim that many websites lose traffic for many reasons, and most studies use bad or incomplete data.
Nick Fox, Google’s Senior VP, recently said that the web is growing, not shrinking. According to him, content on the web (excluding spam) has gone up by 45% in just two years. He says Google cares about the health of the web.
But Real-Life Data Tells a Different Story
Sites like HouseFresh say they’ve already seen the damage. Navarro says their site is showing up more in search results, but getting fewer clicks. That’s likely because of AI Overviews.
A research company, BrightEdge, found that AI Overviews led to 49% more impressions (times people saw the site name) but 30% fewer clicks, because users already got their answer from AI.
Navarro sums it up by saying: “Google created the system, made the rules, and rewarded websites. Now they’re taking it back. The open web is dying — maybe it’s already dead.”
How AI Mode Might Change Your Daily Online Experience
AI Mode is expected to completely change how we use the internet every day. Some experts believe we’re entering a new era, sometimes called the “machine web.” In this future, websites may be built mainly for artificial intelligence, not for people. Instead of reading full articles or exploring different sites, we might rely on chatbots to give us short, summarized answers to our questions.
Demis Hassabis, who leads Google’s AI research lab DeepMind, recently shared that he believes publishers will start giving their content directly to AI models. Some may even stop publishing information on websites for humans to read. According to him, things could look very different just a couple of years from now.
Instant Answers, But at What Cost?
This new system could make it super easy to get answers instantly. However, it may also take away some of the best parts of using the internet — like discovering new things by accident or getting lost in a fun web search. Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, said in a podcast that in the end, everything will depend on what users want and how they choose to search for information.
A Big Problem – When the Audience is AI, Not Humans
There’s also a serious concern raised by Matthew Prince, the CEO of Cloudflare. He points out that “robots don’t click on ads.” If AI tools are the main users of your content, how will content creators make money? Some companies are being paid to share their content with AI systems. For example, The New York Times is reportedly selling its content to Amazon to help train its AI. Google is said to be paying Reddit $60 million per year to access its user data for AI training. Other big media companies have made similar deals.
Only Big Sites Are Benefiting — Small Ones Are Left Out
But so far, only large websites with massive amounts of data are being offered these deals. Tom Critchlow, a senior executive at an ad tech company called Raptive, believes that this kind of model won’t work on a wide scale. He says it’s unclear how small websites will survive if they lose traffic and clicks — which used to be their main source of income.
The Shift to Social Media
If it becomes harder to earn money from websites, many content creators might shift to platforms like YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. In fact, many are already doing that. Gisele Navarro, managing editor at the air quality review site HouseFresh, says her website has been hit hard. She believes the open web — where anyone could create and share — is already disappearing.
Navarro says they’ve moved some of their efforts to YouTube. But she finds social media platforms to be even more unpredictable, with algorithms that push creators to focus on flashy, short content rather than detailed, helpful information. According to her, these platforms reward style over substance, and that makes it harder for creators to stay motivated to make high-quality content. She explains that everything now revolves around making money and grabbing attention, instead of providing real value.
