Social media and AI overviews have led many to pronounce the death of the internet. But, says Peter Wallace of GumGum, the open web still provides superior levels of all-important trust and engagement.
Don’t give up on the open web just yet, says Wallace
When the Kindle arrived on our bedside tables back in 2007, everyone predicted the death of the book. The future, we were told, was paperless. Yet, fast-forward almost two decades, and research showed that 50% of UK consumers purchased a print book in 2024. We have, it seems, gone full circle, in a triumph of human curation over algorithmic rhythms.
I foresee similar resilience amid traditional publishers on the open web. Like physical books in a digital age, decentralized media is facing an almighty threat right now. Already bruised from the proliferation of social media – today’s online audiences are more likely to access news via Facebook or YouTube than publisher websites – traditional media companies are grappling with a perfect storm created by Google AI Overviews.
Zero-click search is apparently here to stay, siphoning off vital referral traffic and undermining the voice of original digital content. Yet, according to the Reuters Institute, many traditional news organizations remain optimistic about their growth potential in a volatile era. And this sense of confidence is partially driven by the belief that ‘unreliable AI-generated content’ could bring audiences back to trusted media.
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It’s a powerful prediction, and one I think carries real weight as we head into 2026. With mindful audiences on the rise – along with a surge in AI slop – here’s why digital publishers may soon reclaim the battle for attention.
UK adults spend an average of 61 minutes a day consuming news, with 96% watching, reading about, or listening to the events of the moment. It’s also true that modern journalism exists in an emotionally charged climate, making our engagement with news an increasingly personal and emotive matter.
And therein lies the appeal of open web media. Audiences prize news providers above social media for trustworthiness and accuracy (Ofcom). And these same operators win over AI-powered search when it comes to delivering deep-seated emotional value.
Because synthesized answers on Google may work well for quick queries. But they’re no match for the kind of substance that comes with long-form, original, and compelling journalism – the type of narrative to inspire a full range of emotion.
Content consumption this year, therefore, will increasingly divide itself into binary discovery (zero-click search) and the very same timely, journalistic narratives that have drawn readers since newspapers began. This central ingredient – emotional authenticity – is exactly why we enjoy such a vibrant and diverse digital media economy. And it’s also the reason why generative AI could never supplant journalistic rigor.
This is all the more evident as people become increasingly disillusioned with the dehumanized face of AI and social media. A fifth of Brits have deleted a social media app in the past 12 months, amid fears over misinformation, boring content, and adverse effects on mental health.
Against this backdrop, traditional publishers have a key advantage. They provide accurate, emotionally charged, and relatively nonpartisan content to audiences overserved on sensation and algorithmically fatigued. In 2026, we’ll see a coming together of these two forces, as consumers seek out emotional connection with premium, professional content – and publishers simultaneously recognize the need to evoke that bond.
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The authority and depth of publisher content go hand-in-hand with another quality: brand safety. In a world where 76% of UK audiences have encountered misinformation, and AI can create an echo-chamber effect with the very falsehoods it hallucinates, advertisers must contend with unprecedented levels of risk.
The lack of control and regulation of AI finds its counterweight in the robust editorial standards of open-web media. 2026 will be the year in which the digital industry wakes up to the brand capital of premium news websites, as one of the last bastions of quality and brand-safe content.
Unbiased, slop-free editorial is only half the benefit, though. When dealing with social media or Google AI Overviews, consumer behavior is typically fleeting. Consumers look for rapid-fire answers and are easily distracted. A publisher environment, on the other hand, is far more conducive to deep engagement.
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As marketers work harder than ever to stand out, publishers have the capacity to reach audiences at the right time, and in the right mindset, for particular messaging. Today’s digital advertisers can use advanced contextual and attention signals to tap into consumer mindset in a precise and privacy-friendly way. It’s an approach that holds far more impact within an open web setting, with plenty of rich, thought-provoking content to choose from and align with.
The distinction between this setting and the flighty mindset of someone using ChatGPT or Perplexity is key – because it speaks to the influence of premium publishers. Research suggests our ability to pay attention hasn’t necessarily reduced in an age of constant digital noise; instead, consumer minds are spending more time filtering out distractions. So we, as an industry, need to focus on making content that cuts through those filters. To resonate with consumers fully in the moment, we must favor nuance and integrity versus AI convenience.
From the de-prioritization of news content to big-tech monopolies and an upheaval in search (even Google now claims the open web is in “rapid decline”), the struggle ahead is not for the faint-hearted. But, with consumer sentiment turning once more towards human curation, publishers are well-equipped for the fight. Indeed, they need only look within, relying on their natural strengths for a 2026 return that serves consumers and brands alike.
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