Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said the company lost more than one million Google search referrals per week in October. He blamed AI Overviews and AI Mode, raising a potential structural risk for sites that depend on Google traffic. Huffman said demand for Reddit had not changed, but Google was sending fewer users. Reddit shares fell more than 25 percent despite strong earnings.
A discussion on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast examines how technology executives can seem disconnected from ordinary users when describing AI’s role in daily life. The speakers suggest the issue may lie in both marketing and product design that aims to automate human interaction. Executives’ suggestions for using AI in parenting, relationships, and dating can sound like attempts to optimize ordinary conversations away. The speakers also question whether examples such as booking flights or restaurant reservations reflect problems most people face often.