Reddit CEO Steve Huffman Says Google AI Mode 'Does Not Drive Traffic' as Search Referrals Plunge

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman told investors on Tuesday that Google's AI-powered search modes are failing to send meaningful traffic to the platform, a warning sign for publishers already grappling with declining organic reach. The comments came during Reddit's Q3 2026 earnings call, where the company disclosed that search referrals from Google had dropped by more than 1 million per day on average in October compared with earlier in the year. Huffman's remarks underscore a growing tension between content platforms and Google's push into AI-generated answers, which often summarize information without requiring users to click through to source sites. Reddit, which has historically relied on Google for a large share of its logged-out visitors, now faces pressure to diversify its traffic sources as AI search reshapes user behavior. The decline mirrors broader industry concerns that AI search features could erode the open web's referral economy, hurting publishers and platforms that depend on search visibility. Reddit is responding by investing in direct user engagement and its own search capabilities, but the shift highlights how quickly AI is redrawing the digital traffic map. For Reddit and its peers, adapting to a world where Google sends fewer clicks may soon be a matter of survival.