AI search demands a new audience playbook

Most readers start looking for information with AI. Publishers need a new audience map to meet them where they are.

[Illustration: Aamir Gfx/Adobe Stock]

Pete Pachal is a journalist and the creator of Media Copilot, a newsletter and podcast that examines how AI is changing media, journalism, and the news.

For publishers, one of the observations that’s often cited about AI search is that the people who click through are more intentional than those who come from traditional search. In other words, sure, AI might be nuking your referral traffic, but at least the people coming from there are more likely to engage, and potentially become loyal readers.

And that’s true—the stats show it. But........

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