It’s now common to get AI generated answers from Google when searching the web. The whole concept of searching Google to find actual websites is almost over.

Google does not want you to click on a link and go to a website. Instead, they’re giving users as the first thing you see, an AI overview that analyzes hundreds, thousands, (possibly) millions of websites to give you an answer right there on the Google page. Convenient? Yes. User friendly? Yup. Causing news publishers to lose their minds? Absofrigginlutely.

Today our guest is Ben Smith. He literally wrote the book on web traffic. It’s called Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion Dollar Race to Go Viral.

He’s the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief at Semafor and co-host of the Mixed Signals podcast.

Ben helps us figure out what this fundamental change in how we use the web means for you the news consumer and what it could mean for the future of Canadaland.

Credits:

Host: Jesse Brown

Caleb Thompson (Post Production), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Fact checking by Julian Abraham

Additional music by Audio Network

Further Reading

Follow Ben Smith’s Semafor Podcast

Decoder Podcast Referenced in the Intro

What Happens to the News Business When People Stop Clicking? – The Logic

AI is Killing the Web. Can Anything Save it? – The Economist

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