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đź‘€ Will Google Still Send Traffic to Your Website?
Sundar Pichai says yes. But here’s what he didn’t say—and why it matters more than ever.
Shane Barker
June 17, 2025
In partnership with
Disclosure: This content may contain few affiliate links, which means if you click on them, I will get a commission (without any extra cost to you).
Hey marketers, publishers, SEOs—this one’s for you.
Google’s search is changing fast. And last week, Google CEO Sundar Pichai finally sat down to address the elephant in the SERPs.
In a rare interview with Lex Fridman, Pichai responded to the growing backlash from web creators.
The question was simple:
Will Google still support the open web, or will AI push us all out?
Let’s break down what he said (and what he didn’t).
“Yes, We’ll Still Link to the Web.”
That’s the headline Google wants you to remember. When Fridman asked if AI Mode would still lead users to real websites, Pichai said:
“Yes, that’s going to be a core design principle for us.”
He described AI as an enhancer, not a replacement. While AI provides users with more context and deeper answers to their queries, it will still link them to the sources.
Sounds good, right?
But words aren’t traffic. And that’s the problem.
AI Search: A New Chapter—or a Whole New Book?
Pichai called AI “the next chapter of search.”
Let’s be honest: it’s more like a brand-new book.
With AI Overviews and AI Mode, Google is:
Summarizing your content
Answering user queries directly
Delaying (or skipping) the click to your site
Pichai insists that this gives users “higher quality referrals.” But creators can’t verify that because there’s still no reliable way to track AI-driven traffic.
So right now, web publishers are stuck watching traffic drop while Google insists they’re sending “better clicks.”
Ads in AI Search? You Bet.
Fridman also pushed on monetization: How does advertising work in an AI-first experience?
Pichai’s response: ads are “still information,” just commercial.
He sees ads as part of the experience, not an interruption. AI might make them better, with smarter placement, more relevance, and less friction.
That’s great for advertisers. But for web creators, it raises a challenging question:
If AI can summarize your content and monetize the summary... what’s left for you?
The Design Principle That’s Missing: Trust
Pichai says the open web is a priority. But here’s the catch:
🟥 Google hasn’t enabled publishers to track AI Overview or AI Mode clicks.
🟥 There’s no control over how your content is summarized.
🟥 Attribution is inconsistent—and sometimes missing.
In other words, the creators who power the web are flying blind.
And, in 2025, trust is a design feature. If Google really wants to support the web, it has to show its math.
Final Thought: Show, Don’t Tell
Sundar Pichai came to reassure the web ecosystem. And to his credit, he said the right things.
But saying you support the web isn’t the same as supporting it. You can’t ask for trust without transparency. And you can’t claim to send traffic without showing where it lands.
As SEOs, marketers, and creators—we’re not anti-AI. We just want a future where the web still matters. That’s not nostalgia. That’s the foundation of digital opportunity.
Click below to watch the full interview:
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