Google is cannibalizing the web to feed AI

Key Points:

• At Google's I/O 2026 conference, Search VP Liz Reid announced that AI Mode, Google's end-to-end AI search experience, has surpassed one billion monthly users with queries doubling every quarter since launch.
• Critics argue that Google Search quality has declined, citing issues like aggressive monetization, spam, and disruptive AI features that prioritize keeping users on Google properties rather than directing them to the best external content.
• Google's AI search responses often aggregate content from various online sources but disclaim responsibility for accuracy, urging users to double-check answers, which raises concerns about transparency and trustworthiness.
• The integration of AI Overviews and AI Mode into search results is reducing clickthrough rates to external sites, effectively making Google a traffic routing layer and diminishing user choice in selecting trusted sources.
• The article advocates for keeping AI assistance separate from traditional search to preserve source visibility, user discretion, and accountability, emphasizing that AI answers should not replace the mental engagement required in evaluating search results.