AI Crawler Restrictions and Monetization Strategies Gain Momentum
Originally Published 6 months ago — by TechCrunch
Referrals from ChatGPT to news sites are increasing significantly, but not enough to offset the decline in organic search traffic caused by users turning to AI for news. While ChatGPT referrals grew 25-fold from 2024 to 2025, overall news site visits have dropped, and publishers are exploring new monetization strategies amid the changing landscape. Some sites like Reuters and NY Post see more AI-driven traffic, whereas others like The New York Times see less, highlighting uneven impacts across publishers.