Google got caught saying the open web is in 'rapid decline' and publishers are up in arms about its 'AI content theft' | Fortune

"Google is under intense scrutiny for making contradictory statements about the health of the open web, even as publishers and industry critics are seeing issues with how it siphons content for its AI-powered services, arguably accelerating the same process. In a recent legal filing, Google admitted that "the open web is already in rapid decline"-a stance sharply at odds with its public reassurances the web is thriving at almost exactly the same time."

"For years, Google has positioned itself as a champion of the open web, regularly touting the vitality and robustness of the digital ecosystem. However, in a legal battle over its advertising dominance, the company recently claimed the open web's decline is so severe that breaking up its ad business would only accelerate damage, harming publishers who rely on open-web display ad revenue."

"A few months earlier, top Google executives-including Search VP Nick Fox-had publicly argued the opposite on the AI Inside podcast, insisting that "from our point of view, the web is thriving" and that Google products aren't to blame for falling web traffic. Overall search volumes appear to be up, which is one reason why Google revenues have continued to climb. Still, there is some evidence click-throughs per search are declining."

Google made inconsistent claims about the open web's health, asserting in a legal filing that "the open web is already in rapid decline" while executives publicly said the web is thriving. The legal argument contended that breaking up Google's ad business would accelerate damage to publishers dependent on open-web display advertising. Executives cited rising overall search volumes and growing revenues, though click-throughs per search may be falling. Google later clarified the legal filing referenced open-web display advertising specifically. Publishers increasingly accuse Google of siphoning content for AI services and enabling AI-powered plagiarism, prompting actions such as large-scale page deindexing.

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