Reddit’s CEO says Google’s AI Mode ‘does not drive traffic’
Reddit chief executive Steve Huffman said Google’s AI Mode is not sending visitors to Reddit, as the search experience shifts from directing users to websites towards answering queries on the results page. The change matters because Reddit and other publishers rely on search referrals to reach readers, and the company says those referrals have fallen.
Reddit reported that search referrals in October dropped by more than one million per week on average. Huffman also said AI Overviews and AI Mode push links further down results, while machine-translated Reddit content may rank lower outside the US; he said Reddit remains a popular Google search. The company is trying to encourage direct, regular visits with a personalised feed and plans to require users to log in.
In short
- Reddit says Google’s AI search modes are not driving traffic to the platform.
- Search referrals fell by over one million per week on average in October.
- Reddit is promoting direct visits and plans to require users to log in.
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The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Google’s AI Mode may be reducing the visitors Reddit receives from search by answering questions on the results page and making links less prominent. That threatens a useful route for readers to discover publishers and could weaken their ability to sustain communities and original content; Reddit’s reported referral decline gives it reason to seek more direct relationships with users.
The case against
AI search can give people quicker answers without requiring them to visit multiple sites, and Google may see that as a legitimate improvement to its service. A fall in Reddit referrals does not by itself establish that AI Mode caused the decline, while Reddit’s plans to encourage log-ins and direct visits may also help it build a more durable audience of its own.
Explained simply
Reddit is a website where people post in topic-based forums, called subreddits, and discuss questions, news and interests. Many readers find these discussions through Google searches, so visits from search engines can bring a large audience to the site.
Google has been adding AI features that answer some searches directly on its results page, alongside links to websites. Reddit says this shift, and the placement of links further down the page, may affect how many people reach its discussions; it is also seeking more regular visits through its own app and website.
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