New findings reveal that generative AI tools like ChatGPT are siphoning massive amounts of valuable content from publishers — and giving almost nothing back. According to a Forbes report on data provided by content licensing platform TollBit, AI-driven chatbots send an astounding 96 percent less traffic to publishers’ websites compared to what those same sites receive from traditional search engines.
As companies like OpenAI and Perplexity publicly claim they offer benefits to media partners, the TollBit study paints a starkly different picture. Analyzing 160 news and blog publishers, TollBit discovered AI bots scraped these sites a combined two million times in the last quarter of 2024 alone, with each individual page scraped an average of seven times. These automated visits generate no ad revenue since advertisers don’t pay for bot traffic — a financial blow that’s becoming hard for publishers to ignore.
“We are seeing an influx of bots that are hammering these sites every time a user asks a question,” says Toshit Panigrahi, TollBit’s CEO. “The amount of demand for publisher content is nontrivial.”
Even though most AI chat services include source links, they also provide quick, summarized answers. With the information already presented in an easy-to-read format, users feel no urgency to click through to the original site — effectively denying publishers the page views and ad impressions they rely on for revenue.
Chegg Leads the Legal Fight
Publishers are increasingly pushing back. One high-profile example is Chegg, an educational platform originally known as a textbook marketplace, which now alleges that Google’s AI Overview (AIO) feature repurposes Chegg’s content without properly compensating the company. According to Chegg’s lawsuit:
Google’s AI Overviews dramatically cut Chegg’s web traffic by summarizing the site’s content on the search results page. Users no longer need to click through to Chegg, ultimately slashing the publisher’s ad revenue.
This has caused such significant financial damage that Chegg’s leadership is even considering taking the company private or exploring acquisition opportunities. As CEO Nathan Schultz laments:
“Unfortunately, traffic is being blocked from ever coming to Chegg because of Google’s AIO and their use of Chegg’s content to keep visitors on their own platform.”
In response, Chegg has not only engaged Goldman Sachs to determine its losses but has also hired Susman Godfrey to pursue legal action. Ian Crosby, a partner at the firm, warns that Google’s AI Overviews pose a “threat to the internet.”
Why This Matters for Publishers — and the Future of the Web
With chatbots increasingly becoming the first stop for users seeking information, the traditional publishing model could face an existential crisis. Key points include:
Reduced Visibility: Fewer clicks mean less ad revenue and lower brand recognition for news outlets, bloggers, and other content creators.
Licensing Disputes: As scraping practices become more prevalent, we can expect a surge in lawsuits and debates over fair use, copyright, and content licensing deals.
Potential Industry Shake-Ups: Publishers may explore paywalls, partnerships, or technology solutions to protect their content and maintain traffic.
Unless AI platforms and publishers can find a mutually beneficial arrangement, the digital landscape may soon look very different. Chegg’s lawsuit could become a landmark case in how courts view the balance between AI innovation and content creators’ rights. Ultimately, the outcome may define how future AI services operate — and whether publishers can sustain themselves in a rapidly evolving online ecosystem.