Reddit CEO criticizes Google's AI overviews: 'People don't want a summary of Reddit, they want Reddit'

Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has joined a growing list of publishers and platforms frustrated with Google's AI Overviews. In a letter to shareholders ahead of the company's second-quarter earnings call, he wrote: "People don't want a summary of Reddit; they want Reddit."

While not naming Google directly, Huffman made it clear that Reddit has not benefited from the shift in search, despite a partnership with the search giant. He noted that traditional search with "10 blue links" has driven tremendous value and growth to the broader ecosystem, but AI Overviews have yet to have a similar positive impact.

Huffman acknowledged that Reddit's search traffic has taken a hit in recent months. According to The Wall Street Journal, the company is rethinking its relationship with Google. When asked about the possibility of ending the $60 million licensing deal, Huffman left the door open. "I think the range of outcomes is wide, and we have to look at every aspect of this and make sure that we're maximizing value to Reddit," he said.

Reddit is not alone in struggling with the changing search landscape. Many publishers, who also have licensing deals with Google, have seen massive declines in search traffic as Google's AI-generated summaries bury links and more users replace traditional searches with chatbots. Google has claimed that AI-powered search features are broadly good for the industry.

In response, Huffman said Reddit is working on other changes to attract new users, including improvements to feed recommendations and making the site easier to understand for newcomers. He also mentioned considering "a video Reddit experience" and allowing users to "background listen" to posts. "We see folks doing this off-platform," he explained, referring to podcasts where people read Reddit content.