Archive · 3 Aug 2026
Reddit CEO Criticizes Google AI Overviews, Seeks Traffic Gains
Reddit’s boss, Steve Huffman, said that Google’s new AI summaries, called AI Overviews, are hurting the amount of people who click on links to other websites.
He thinks these short summaries don’t give the same help that old search results did.
Reddit is trying to stop paying Google for showing its pages in search.
A study by Pew Research found that the new AI summaries cut traffic by about half, but Google says the study was wrong.
Because of this, Reddit’s stock fell more than 20% after its earnings report.
Reddit CEO Steve Huffman says Google’s AI Overviews cut publisher referral traffic.
Huffman argues AI summaries fail to provide the same value as traditional search results.
Reddit is reportedly ending its $60 million licensing deal with Google.
Pew Research found AI Overviews cut referral traffic by nearly half, a claim Google disputes.
Reddit’s Q2 2026 earnings saw a >20% share drop amid concerns over declining search traffic.
- Who
- Reddit CEO Steve Huffman
- What
- Criticized Google's AI Overviews for reducing publisher referral traffic
- When
- 2026 Q2 earnings report
- Where
- United States
- Why
- AI Overviews cut traffic and threaten Reddit’s revenue model
- CEO
- Steve Huffman
- Company
- Google AI Overviews
- Feature
- Licensing Deal Value
- $60 million
- Share Drop
- >20%