Muhammad Ziaul Haque | April 1, 2025 | Special Report
The Beginning of the Story: A Journalist’s Nightmare
On a busy afternoon in Dhaka, Shahed Ahmed, an experienced journalist, sits at his desk. The office lights are still on, but the usual lively buzz of the newsroom is gone. Once filled with ringing phones, the clacking of teleprinters, and colleagues’ chatter, now the place seems almost deserted. Advertisers have turned away, and readers no longer frequent the site as they once did.
“People are reading our articles, but not on our site,” Shahed says with resignation. “Now everyone gets their answers from chatbots. It feels like we’re no longer needed.”
His words capture the dire situation facing journalism. Due to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots, websites for many news outlets are seeing a worrying decline in visitors.
Google, OpenAI, and the Battle Behind the Scenes
Recently, a research firm called TollBit reported that AI chatbots have reduced traffic to news media websites by as much as 96%. Analyzing data from 160 news and blogging publishers, they found that in the last quarter of 2024, these chatbots “scraped” those sites approximately 2 million times, with each page being scraped on average seven times. But scrapes like these generate no ad revenue, as bots don’t lead to paying clicks.
“According to TollBit’s analysis, we’re now in a situation where chatbots collect information from original news sources, but don’t send readers back to those sources,” said TollBit CEO Toshit Panigrahi.
Chegg has faced the same challenge and has filed a lawsuit against Google. Chegg’s CEO, Nathan Schultz, stated,
“Due to Google’s AI Overview, our site traffic has dropped dramatically. Readers now get their answers directly from Google. Our business is effectively on the brink of collapse.”
In truth, not just Chegg but many of the world’s major news organizations are grappling with this crisis. When chatbots collect news or research information, they repackage it entirely and present it afresh. Readers no longer need to visit the original website. The result—one by one, news portals are facing financial collapse.
The Future of Journalism: A Path to Light or Darkness?
Is AI an absolute threat to journalism, or does it hold new opportunities?
Some researchers believe that news outlets need to adapt to technology. For example, by using AI as a tool to quickly and accurately draft articles, introducing new subscription or membership models, and implementing paywalls, bot traffic could be curbed. Additionally, enforcing content licensing or royalty policies could help extract financial benefits from AI companies.
But veteran journalist Robert Maxwell says,
“It’s an uneven battle. The big tech companies are taking information from news outlets without giving anything in return.”
One core principle of journalism is ensuring the accuracy of information. The problem with chatbots is that they don’t direct readers anywhere to verify the facts they provide. This can lead to the spread of misinformation or half-truths.
Perspectives: Publishers and Readers
Meanwhile, the editor of a local newspaper, Saima Khan, says,
“We’ve already had to let go of three staff members. Ironically, our content is being seen by even more people through chatbots, but advertising revenue is no longer showing up in our books.”
As readers, are we losing something? University student Rahat Islam shares,
“I used to read full articles on news portals. Now I get my answers on Google itself, courtesy of chatbots. But I can’t always tell how reliable that information is.”
The outcome—not only are news organizations facing financial hardship, but they are gradually losing their role as a vital source of information for the public.
Possible Solutions: Working Hand in Hand
1. Partnerships with Tech Companies: News organizations can develop content-sharing models based on partnerships with AI companies. There’s potential in link-based referrals, revenue sharing, or special subscription packages.
2. New Content Models: Provide readers with more interactive or multimedia content—things that chatbots cannot easily reproduce. For example, live blogs or Q&A sessions with videos.
3. Legal and Policy Reform: Improving copyright and fair use regulations could provide ways to hold AI companies more accountable.
4. Focus on Building Trust: Build trust with readers to encourage them to return to the original source. In-depth analysis, personal experience, and thorough investigations—these are only possible via human-driven journalism.
Conclusion: New Challenges, New Paths
The march of artificial intelligence will not stop; it will only get stronger. But to protect a vital profession like journalism, AI companies must cooperate with news organizations in a fair way.
“This isn’t just a problem for journalism—it’s a question of democracy and truth,” says journalist Shahed Ahmed. “Can we put technology under our control, or will technology consume us?”
Many, like Shahed, are now searching for the way forward. Readers, too, are experiencing hesitation—even if quick answers are at hand, how can they be sure of their accuracy or depth?
Share your opinion:
Can journalism survive alongside AI, or will it disappear in the shadow of technology?
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