During this quarter’s earnings report, Reddit’s CEO Steve Huffman addressed investors not merely with numbers but with criticism of Google’s AI Overviews feature, which automatically summarizes search results for most queries. In a letter to shareholders, he framed Reddit as a counter‑to‑synthetic content, arguing that the web now floods with AI‑generated summaries while users crave real human perspective.

Huffman emphasized that AI compresses the internet into brief outlines, whereas Reddit delivers deep discussions, passionate debates, and lived experiences. He noted that, unlike Google’s “10 blue links” model, AI Overviews has yet to generate comparable value for the broader ecosystem of businesses, publishers, and retailers.

The CEO also highlighted a lucrative $60 million licensing deal Reddit has with Google that may be in jeopardy, as the company considers ending it. Several prominent publishers—including The Economist, Reuters, Politico, and USA Today—are reportedly exploring similar cuts.

A Pew Research study of 900 U.S. adults found that Google’s AI Overviews cut referrals to sites by almost half compared to the “10 blue links” approach, underscoring concerns about the feature’s impact on traffic and trust.