Arlington, VA – Tollbit, a platform specializing in analytics and licensing for publishers and AI companies, has released its inaugural AI User Agent Index. The quarterly report examines trends in how the AI industry scrapes content from the web.
The initial report highlights that the click-through rates from AI chatbots are a staggering 95.7% lower than those from traditional Google search. Furthermore, the referral rate stands at a mere 0.37%. These findings have sparked concern within the publishing industry, as they indicate a substantial shift in how users are accessing information.
In response to the Tollbit report, Danielle Coffey, President and CEO of the News/Media Alliance, issued a statement. She emphasized, “Tollbit’s data confirms what publishers have known for some time – generative AI chatbots are not delivering the same levels of traffic as traditional search. By unlawfully scraping our content, repackaging it, and providing it to consumers without proper attribution or links back to our sites, AI companies are leveraging our content to undermine our business models.”
Coffey further stated, “Without web traffic, news and media organizations suffer a loss in both subscription and advertising revenue, which in turn hinders our ability to fund the quality journalism that both AI companies and consumers depend upon. Given that AI click-through rates are nearly 96% lower than traditional search, which we already find to be inadequate, this transition presents an existential threat to the news and media industry. Action must be taken.”
She also clarified that the news and media industry is not against the growth of AI, stating, “Many of us are actively using artificial intelligence in our businesses, with the aim of better serving our customers. We are simply calling for responsible AI practices. Artificial intelligence companies must fairly compensate publishers for the content they utilize, ensuring the sustained health of both industries.”
About the News/Media Alliance
The News/Media Alliance is a non-profit organization representing over 2,200 news, magazine, and digital media organizations, along with their multi-platform businesses located in the United States and abroad. Alliance members consist of publishers of original journalism across both print and digital formats.
Based near Washington, D.C., the organization focuses on ensuring the future of journalism through communication, research, advocacy, and innovation. Further information about the News/Media Alliance is available at www.newsmediaalliance.org.
