Google's AI Mode doesn't drive traffic "for anybody," Reddit CEO Huffman warns the entire web

Brief overview

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman stated that Google's AI Mode does not bring traffic to any website, and Reddit lost over one million Google search referrals per week in October, with the stock price falling more than 25%. Huffman believes this is a fundamental shift in Google's work methods. Reddit is testing login walls outside the United States to reduce its reliance on the open network and continues to negotiate data authorization with AI providers.

Why it matters

Reddit loses over a million Google referrals weekly, providing a reference for structural risks for websites relying on search traffic.

Article

Oct 30, 2026

AI Mode has tanked not just Google's stock but Reddit's too. Shares dropped over 25 percent despite strong earnings, after CEO Steve Huffman revealed that Reddit lost more than one million Google search referrals per week in October. He blames AI Overviews and AI Mode: "AI Mode does not drive traffic. Not for us, and not to anybody as far as I know. That's just a fundamental shift in how Google works," Huffman said.

Reddit says demand for the platform hasn't changed, but Google simply stopped sending users there. In response, it's testing login walls outside the U.S. to curb scraping and reduce its dependence on the open web. Huffman sees it as a trade-off: less reach for deeper engagement. Data licensing talks with AI providers continue, though it's not certain that Reddit, which already had a deal with Google and massively profited from it, will close further ones.

What's hitting Reddit is a warning for the entire web. Any business that depends on Google for traffic faces the same structural risk.

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Source: The Decoder · the-decoder.com