Google AI Mode Goes Global: What PR Pros Need to Know as Publishers Pivot and Search Traffic Drops

Google’s AI Mode Launches Globally

Google has rolled out AI Mode in the UK and 180 additional countries, introducing “agentic capabilities” to search. If you haven’t tried it yet, AI Mode offers a fresh way to search, moving away from the traditional list of links to a conversational AI interface similar to ChatGPT or Perplexity.

This marks a significant shift in Google’s search strategy. Currently, AI Mode appears as a tab alongside Web and News results, but it’s expected to become the default search experience once Google completes testing and figures out revenue models such as advertising integration.

What This Means for Digital PR

AI Mode is not going away. PR professionals need to adapt fast. Traditional methods and outdated link-building tactics won’t cut it anymore. Earning visibility in AI-driven search requires a fresh approach that focuses on quality, relevance, and how your content can be surfaced by AI.

Start experimenting with AI search, learn its quirks, and strategize how to make your brand or clients’ brands stand out in this new search environment. Digital PR now demands innovation that aligns with AI’s way of processing and presenting information.

Publishers Continue to Lose Traffic

Recent reports show 46 of the 50 largest English-language news publishers have experienced year-on-year traffic declines. This ongoing trend highlights a major challenge: Google and search engines are no longer driving the volume of traffic they once did.

Publishers are responding by shifting their focus. For example, the Financial Times has significantly increased email subscribers, Sky News is prioritizing video content, and Which? is building subscriber relationships. Google Discover remains an important referral source but relying solely on non-branded search traffic is increasingly risky in 2025.

Implications for Digital PR

Publishers’ audience losses directly impact PR efforts. If publisher reach shrinks, so does the impact of earned media placements. The solution is to pivot alongside publishers and focus sharply on audience behavior. Understand where your audiences spend time, how they consume content, and which channels influence them most effectively.

Building relationships and targeting communications based on audience insight will be key to maintaining visibility and influence.

Other Notable Updates in SEO and Digital PR

• Google’s Traffic Claims vs Reality: Despite widespread evidence of traffic drops across many websites, Google maintains that overall traffic is “relatively stable.” This disconnect frustrates industry professionals who need transparent data to plan effectively.
• AI Search Scams: Scammers are exploiting AI search by inserting fake phone numbers into forums, tricking users into calling fraudulent businesses. It’s crucial to monitor your search presence closely and be ready with crisis communications if needed.
• Perplexity’s Crawling Controversy: Cloudflare accuses AI platform Perplexity of “stealth crawling” websites that have blocked it, meaning content owners’ attempts to restrict AI access may be ineffective. This raises new challenges for controlling where and how your content appears.
• New Licensing Models for AI and Publishers: There’s movement toward innovative licensing deals between AI platforms and news publishers, possibly including pay-per-use models. This could create new revenue streams and help publishers regain value from their content.

For PR and communications pros, these developments mean staying informed and agile is essential. Understanding how AI search impacts visibility, monitoring for scams, and adapting to publisher shifts will determine your success.

If you want to enhance your skills in AI and digital PR, consider exploring Complete AI Training’s latest courses to stay ahead in this changing landscape.