Americans Most Eager to Ditch Instagram, Facebook, and X, Study Finds

Instagram may be a social media giant, but more people in the U.S. seem ready to walk away from it than any other platform. A new analysis of Google search trends shows that users are searching in droves for ways to delete or deactivate their Instagram accounts, putting it at the top of the list of platforms Americans most want to leave behind.

Between April 2024 and March 2025, there were more than 545,000 average monthly searches nationwide for terms related to quitting Instagram. That includes phrases like “delete Instagram account,” “how to deactivate Instagram,” and “Instagram addiction.” Facebook came in a close second, with just over 538,000 monthly searches, while other platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Snapchat, and Telegram trailed far behind.

The findings come from a study conducted by health and recovery publisher Recovered, which analyzed search behavior across all 50 states using Google Keyword Planner. The goal was to figure out not just which apps people were tired of, but also where in the country users were most likely to look for an exit from social media altogether.

To level the playing field between high- and low-population states, the researchers adjusted the data to reflect search volume per 100,000 residents. That’s where Hawaii stood out the most.

Hawaii Tops the List of Social Media Quitters

On a per-person basis, Hawaii led the nation, with an average of 568 monthly searches per 100,000 people related to deleting or stepping away from social platforms. For a state with a relatively small population, that’s a striking level of interest in disconnecting.

The most searched phrases in Hawaii centered around Instagram and Facebook, which seemed to dominate the list across the board.

California followed close behind, with 528 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, amounting to more than 205,000 searches. Which shows the desire to slow down or disconnect was clearly gaining traction in California.

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Nevada, Georgia, and a tie between New York and Texas rounded out the top five. All showed more than 500 monthly searches per 100,000 residents, with keyword trends echoing those in other states: users wanted to delete Instagram, shut down Facebook, or at least figure out how to take a break.

States like Colorado, Arizona, Washington, Virginia, and Oregon made up the rest of the top ten, each showing significant interest in going offline or stepping back from social networks. In every case, Instagram and Facebook appeared as the most frequently mentioned platforms in user search queries.

At the other end of the spectrum, Mississippi had the lowest interest in quitting social media, with just 320 monthly searches per 100,000 people.

State	Avg. Monthly Searches	Avg. Monthly Searches Per 100K People
Hawaii	8,145	568
California	205,598	528
Nevada	16,810	526
Georgia	56,610	513
New York	99,118	506
Texas	154,388	506
Colorado	29,598	504
Arizona	37,221	501
Washington	39,048	500
Virginia	42,916	492
Oregon	20,124	475
Illinois	59,404	473
New Mexico	9,953	471
Maryland	28,792	466
North Carolina	50,037	462
Utah	15,531	454
Delaware	4,676	453
Rhode Island	4,886	446
Tennessee	31,616	444
Massachusetts	30,865	441
Connecticut	15,613	432
Florida	96,981	429
New Jersey	39,608	426
Michigan	41,783	416
Alaska	3,052	416
Pennsylvania	53,768	415
Kentucky	18,774	415
Indiana	28,141	410
Vermont	2,642	408
Oklahoma	16,528	408
Maine	5,643	404
Ohio	47,494	403
Louisiana	18,422	403
Wyoming	2,340	401
South Carolina	21,468	400
Missouri	24,286	392
West Virginia	6,928	391
Arkansas	12,007	391
Nebraska	7,666	387
New Hampshire	5,388	384
Kansas	11,259	383
Minnesota	21,966	383
North Dakota	2,998	382
Idaho	7,448	379
Montana	4,273	377
Alabama	18,524	363
Iowa	11,344	354
South Dakota	3,240	352
Wisconsin	20,214	342
Mississippi	9,403	320

Instagram Fatigue Is Real and Facebook Isn’t Far Behind

While Instagram led the pack, Facebook wasn’t far behind in terms of user fatigue. Each month, hundreds of thousands of Americans looked up ways to delete or escape both platforms. Even X, Snapchat, Telegram, and TikTok made the list, but with far fewer searches.

Other apps, including LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, Messenger, Threads, Pinterest, and WhatsApp, generated fewer than 30,000 monthly searches each. That doesn’t mean they’re immune to user fatigue, but the urge to quit just isn’t as strong.

Rank	Social Media Platform	Average Number of Monthly Searches
1	Instagram	545,449
2	Facebook	538,533
3	X	155,862
4	Snapchat	88,234
5	Telegram	67,148
6	TikTok	28,526
7	LinkedIn	27,663
8	YouTube	17,384
9	Reddit	17,234
10	Messenger	16,909
11	Threads	8,300
12	Pinterest	7,195
13	WhatsApp	6,096

A Sign of Digital Burnout?

Be it social overload, algorithmic fatigue, or endless notifications, users in the United States seem increasingly ready to disconnect. The fact that so many are turning to Google for help shows that the urge to unplug isn’t just a passing thought, it’s something people are actively trying to figure out.

For now, Instagram and Facebook still dominate the social landscape. But if search trends are any clue, plenty of users are already halfway out the door.

James Wittams-Smith, founder of Recovered, explains that: 

“For those who engage with social media apps regularly, the process of scrolling and taking in images, posting and receiving positive affirmations from others, and other stimuli create the chemical, dopamine in the brain. The more you engage with social media and receive the rewarding dopamine hit it creates, the more your brain will seek it out to get another hit. This can lead to social media dependence and addiction.  

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"For those considering a break from social media, start small by setting aside a certain amount of time dedicated to social media per day. Using a timer or app that blocks social media can hold you accountable for this. Taking up new hobbies that are not technology-related is also a great way to take time off social media, as well as intentionally seeing friends and family in person. 

“Keep in mind these platforms are designed to get and hold your attention, so work on taking control of your usage instead of letting these sites control you. This way, social media can be something that enhances your quality of life, instead of diminishing it.” 

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.

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by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

OpenAI Experiments with Study Feature and New ChatGPT Integrations

OpenAI is developing new features for ChatGPT that expand its use cases in both education and workplace research. Two recent updates in testing include a potential study mode and additional integrations for its research assistant tool.

One of the unreleased features, labeled Study Together, was first spotted in May and appears to be surfacing more often in recent builds. While it isn’t currently functional, references suggest it could allow students to prepare for exams either with friends or by using ChatGPT as a study companion.

Although OpenAI hasn’t shared details or a timeline, the mode signals a shift toward more collaborative or educational use cases within the platform. If released, it may offer an option for students to engage with academic material directly inside ChatGPT.

Alongside this, OpenAI is testing updates to Deep Research, an AI feature that automates the process of gathering and organizing information based on a user’s input. One of the most significant additions involves Slack integration, as spotted by Tibor Blaho.

The Slack connector would give ChatGPT access to messages within a user's workspace, allowing it to factor those conversations into research tasks. This could be useful for internal summaries, content drafts, or reports that draw from existing team discussions.

• Also read: AI’s Hidden Energy Bill: What a Single ChatGPT Prompt Really Costs

It’s not clear whether OpenAI has a direct agreement with Slack or if the feature is built using publicly available APIs, which come with known limitations. The Slack integration has not been widely rolled out and remains in the test phase.

Deep Research is also gaining support for other platforms. Recent builds reference an integration with Canva, and signs point to early testing of a Gmail connector as well. If enabled, the Gmail feature could allow ChatGPT to search inbox content or generate email summaries without manual input from the user.

These experimental additions suggest that OpenAI is continuing to position ChatGPT as more than a conversational tool. As the company works toward launching GPT-5, these smaller feature tests may hint at what future workflows could look like across education and workplace settings.

Note: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.

Read next: Creative Tech Roles Offer Higher Starting Salaries for 2025 Graduates
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Creative Tech Roles Offer Higher Starting Salaries for 2025 Graduates

A fresh look at early-career salaries reveals how quickly creative work is shifting. For graduates entering the job market in 2025, the best-paying creative roles aren’t necessarily in the arts or media, they’re in tech.

Topping the chart is a relatively new title: AI prompt engineer. The job pays around $70,000 to start, and even interns in the field average about $20 an hour. What’s driving demand is simple. These engineers help large language models perform better by crafting the questions that guide their responses. It’s part writing, part training, and very much in demand across industries that are racing to adopt AI tools.

Second on the list is UX design, where entry-level roles bring in about $65,000 per year. Interns can expect up to $30 an hour. These roles sit at the center of how people interact with websites and apps, and companies know that smart design keeps users coming back.

One step below that, social-savvy grads are finding opportunity in marketing. A TikTok consultant, for example, starts at $55,000. While intern pay is harder to pin down for that role, the full-time salary alone shows how valuable short-form content strategy has become, especially when brands need to connect with younger users who live on those platforms.

Traditional creative tracks haven’t disappeared. Copywriters start near $52,700, with internships paying around $17 an hour. In the gaming world, writing roles are pulling in $50,000 for newcomers, and internships can pay up to $25 hourly. These jobs tend to attract candidates who bring narrative talent along with a feel for interactive storytelling.

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A little further down the scale are roles like digital marketer, graphic designer, and video editor. Each offers a base salary around $45,000, depending on the company and region. The pay is decent, and internships for these positions range between $21 and $25 per hour. They’re also more widespread, which means more competition, but also more openings.

Social media content creators fall into the same income range, though the expectations vary. These roles often mix creative freedom with deadlines that move fast. At the bottom of the top ten list is journalism, which starts closer to $35,000. While the pay may be lower, the mission behind the job still pulls in graduates who care about facts, stories, and accountability. Interns here usually earn about $20 per hour.

What ties these jobs together isn’t just creativity. It’s the ability to pair ideas with tools. Graduates who know how to use design software, understand how digital platforms work, or can shape content for a specific audience are far more likely to land well-paying jobs early.

The research pulled from salary platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn, looked at average pay across entry-level roles and internships. Job Leads, the team behind the study compared dozens of job titles, including variations, to find what employers are offering now, not just what they promised in the past.

As more industries go digital, creative work is evolving with them. The best-paid roles go to those who aren’t just imaginative, but also strategic. If you’ve got an eye for design and a sense of how digital systems behave, you’re in a strong position, whether you're building AI prompts or branding a product on TikTok.

Job Title (Industry / Sector)	Intern Pay Per Hour ($)	Entry-Level Salary ($)	Mid-Level Salary ($)	Senior-Level Salary ($)	Executive-Level Salary ($)
UX Designer (Tech)	$30	$65,000	$95,000	$125,000	$170,000
TikTok Consultant (Marketing / Creative)	N/A	$55,000	$75,000	$95,000	$115,000
AI Art Prompt Engineer (Gaming / Media)	$20	$70,000	$95,000	$125,000	$150,000
Video Game Writer (Entertainment)	$25	$50,000	$70,000	$90,000	$110,000
Creative Director (Advertising)	N/A	N/A	N/A	$120,000	$160,000
Digital Marketer (Marketing / Creative)	$22	$45,000	$75,000	$149,000	$300,000
Graphic Designer (Design)	$25	$45,000	$69,000	$85,000	$125,000
Copywriter (Advertising / Marketing)	$17	$52,690	$78,000	$92,000	$139,000
Journalist (Media)	$20	$35,000	$55,000	$79,000	$95,000
Fashion Designer (Fashion)	$18	$33,000	$60,000	$68,000	$150,000
Video Editor (Media)	$21	$45,000	$55,000	$80,000	$120,000
Social Media Content Creator (Advertising / Marketing)	$18	$45,000	$60,000	$72,000	$85,000

Read next: Which Tech Companies Make the Most Money per Employee?
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

AI’s Hidden Energy Bill: What a Single ChatGPT Prompt Really Costs

From writing emails to answering questions and organizing data, generative AI has quickly become part of daily digital routines. But while these tools make work faster and more convenient, they also come with an unseen cost. Every time someone types a prompt into ChatGPT, energy is used to process the request, and with it comes a carbon footprint that’s easy to overlook.

Recent Surfshark research suggests that each ChatGPT query uses about 2 watt-hours of energy. That’s roughly the same power it takes to run a 10-watt LED bulb for 12 minutes or charge a smartphone with a 5-watt adapter for 24 minutes. Put another way, sending one query consumes as much energy as running a 1000-watt microwave for about seven seconds. Heating up a typical lunch takes three minutes, so you’d spend the same energy by making 26 chatbot queries.

The impact grows quickly when scaled. If every person in the United States sent just one query, the combined energy use would reach nearly 685 megawatt-hours. That’s enough to power 63 average homes for a full year, based on national residential electricity use.

Environmental concerns don’t stop there. Each prompt is estimated to produce 4.32 grams of carbon dioxide. That figure may seem small, but when multiplied by millions of users, the emissions become significant. A single day where every American interacts once with ChatGPT would generate roughly 1,479 metric tons of CO₂, about the same as what 322 gasoline cars emit in a year, or as much carbon as 1,500 people flying roundtrip between London and New York.

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As global usage continues to grow, the pressure to optimize these models increases. By 2025, the number of generative AI users worldwide is projected to reach nearly 378 million, with 65 million new users added in just one year. That jump marks the fastest growth to date.

There’s still no single answer on exactly how much energy a chatbot query requires. Some studies suggest it could be as low as 0.3 watt-hours, particularly for newer, more efficient models. Others report figures closer to 3 watt-hours, especially with older or more complex systems. These differences reflect both advances in AI infrastructure and the challenges in measuring energy use directly, as most estimates rely on modeling, not public data from tech companies.

For context, Google Search uses about 0.3 watt-hours per query, making ChatGPT nearly seven times more power-hungry by comparison.

The carbon footprint depends on where the electricity comes from. Data centers still draw heavily from fossil fuels in many regions, which explains why a single chatbot query can carry a CO₂ price tag. Depending on local grid intensity, emissions per prompt can vary widely, from under a gram to over nine.

Researchers used standardized appliance ratings to create relatable comparisons. For example, they measured a 10-watt light, a 5-watt phone charger, a 100-watt TV, and a 1000-watt microwave, then calculated how long each could run using the same energy as one AI query. They also matched the U.S. population against national energy consumption figures to estimate how many homes could be powered if that same energy were used elsewhere.

None of this means people should stop using AI altogether. But as adoption accelerates, so does the need to make these systems cleaner and more efficient. Behind every AI-generated answer, there’s an environmental tab still being calculated.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.

Read next: Where the Biggest Telecom Investments Are Happening Around the World
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Where the Biggest Telecom Investments Are Happening Around the World

From social media to online shopping, modern life runs on connectivity. Behind that seamless experience sits a massive, often invisible network of infrastructure, fiber optic cables, data centers, cellular towers, built and maintained by the world’s telecommunications providers.

To keep pace with growing demand and quick shifts in technology, telecom companies pour billions into upgrading their networks each year. These investments form the backbone of the digital economy, enabling everything from mobile banking to video calls.

A recent dataset from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) breaks down which countries are spending the most on telecommunications. The numbers reflect capital expenditures by providers of mobile and broadband services, including everything from infrastructure builds to network maintenance.

U.S. and China Dominate the Field

The United States tops the global rankings with over $107 billion in telecom investment, based on the latest figures from 2022. That level of spending reflects the scale of the American telecom market, home to giants like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, all of which operate across vast geographies and serve millions of customers.

China follows with an estimated $59.1 billion in spending in 2023. Its telecom sector remains largely state-controlled, with China Mobile, serving more than a billion subscribers, leading the charge. Massive government-backed infrastructure projects and aggressive 5G rollout plans have kept investment high.

Asia’s Other Big Spenders

Japan and India round out the top four. Japan reported $23.3 billion in telecom investment, while India, despite offering some of the world’s cheapest mobile data rates, saw expenditures of $16.1 billion. Both countries have seen surging demand for mobile connectivity and digital services in recent years.

Europe’s Share of the Pie

Seven of the top 20 investing countries are in Europe, where widespread adoption of 5G and dense urban infrastructure continue to drive capital spending. Germany leads the continent with $16.2 billion invested, followed closely by France at $14.9 billion and the UK at $12.3 billion. Major European players like Deutsche Telekom and Orange have expanded aggressively within and beyond the continent.

Other notable entries in the top 20 include Canada ($9.88B), Iran ($9.16B), and Australia ($6.47B), highlighting a wide global distribution of telecom spending.

Why It Matters

Telecom investment goes far beyond faster downloads and smoother video calls, serving as the foundation for critical services in healthcare, education, logistics, and finance. Countries that invest heavily in this sector position themselves to compete globally in areas such as cloud computing, AI integration, and digital commerce.

While spending amounts vary widely, ranging from over $100 billion in the U.S. to just a few thousand dollars in smaller or low-income nations, the global telecom landscape continues to evolve. As more of the world moves online, the countries leading these investments will likely set the pace for future innovations in connectivity and digital infrastructure.

Economy	Value	Year
United States	$107B	2022
China	$59.1B	2023
Japan	$23.3B	2022
Germany	$16.2B	2023
India	$16.1B	2022
France	$14.9B	2023
United Kingdom	$12.3B	2023
Canada	$9.88B	2023
Iran (Islamic Republic of)	$9.16B	2023
Italy	$7.05B	2023
Australia	$6.47B	2023
Korea (Rep. of)	$5.87B	2023
Spain	$5.22B	2023
Brazil	$5.11B	2023
Indonesia	$5.04B	2018
Russian Federation	$4.44B	2023
Netherlands	$4.33B	2023
Saudi Arabia	$4.09B	2023
Mexico	$3.07B	2023
Switzerland	$3.04B	2023
Belgium	$2.72B	2023
Poland	$2.64B	2023
Türkiye	$2.21B	2023
Thailand	$2.06B	2014
Argentina	$1.89B	2018
Taiwan, Province of China	$1.88B	2023
Nigeria	$1.84B	2022
South Africa	$1.84B	2023
Colombia	$1.74B	2009
Norway	$1.69B	2022
Philippines	$1.68B	2014
Egypt	$1.55B	2023
Denmark	$1.53B	2023
United Arab Emirates	$1.43B	2023
Chile	$1.38B	2023
Sweden	$1.27B	2023
Malaysia	$1.14B	2023
Israel	$1.11B	2022
Greece	$1.09B	2023
Ireland	$1.09B	2023
Peru	$1.04B	2023
New Zealand	$991M	2023
Portugal	$916M	2023
Czech Republic	$878M	2023
Viet Nam	$871M	2023
Austria	$854M	2023
Serbia	$844M	2023
Hong Kong, China	$835M	2022
Morocco	$825M	2023
Finland	$770M	2023
Algeria	$755M	2023
Pakistan	$724M	2023
Singapore	$660M	2022
Oman	$624M	2023
Uzbekistan	$567M	2023
Romania	$562M	2023
Kenya	$551M	2023
Hungary	$523M	2022
Croatia	$521M	2023
Ukraine	$517M	2023
Ethiopia	$497M	2022
Sudan	$480M	2014
Dem. Rep. of the Congo	$458M	2023
Jordan	$431M	2023
Angola	$414M	2023
Côte d'Ivoire	$403M	2023
Lebanon	$390M	2015
Slovakia	$378M	2023
Bulgaria	$372M	2023
Qatar	$337M	2023
Slovenia	$334M	2023
Ecuador	$312M	2013
Panama	$312M	2023
Bangladesh	$295M	2021
Dominican Rep.	$295M	2023
Myanmar	$290M	2021
Iraq	$278M	2017
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)	$271M	2021
Ghana	$270M	2021
Cuba	$266M	2018
Sri Lanka	$254M	2023
Costa Rica	$249M	2023
Yemen	$243M	2009
Belarus	$243M	2023
Honduras	$241M	2023
Senegal	$235M	2023
Benin	$231M	2023
Azerbaijan	$230M	2023
Cambodia	$225M	2023
Cameroon	$224M	2023
El Salvador	$216M	2016
Uruguay	$216M	2016
Bahrain	$213M	2023
Uganda	$205M	2011
Tunisia	$198M	2023
Kuwait	$195M	2023
Zambia	$185M	2023
Cyprus	$182M	2022
Mauritius	$179M	2012
Mali	$170M	2021
Kazakhstan	$165M	2022
Zimbabwe	$160M	2018
Tanzania	$160M	2021
Paraguay	$148M	2023
Madagascar	$145M	2023
Bosnia and Herzegovina	$131M	2023
Estonia	$128M	2023
Luxembourg	$126M	2022
French Polynesia	$122M	2018
Lithuania	$121M	2023
Jamaica	$118M	2013
Latvia	$109M	2023
Congo (Rep. of the)	$108M	2011
Mauritania	$107M	2023
Mongolia	$97.5M	2023
Togo	$96.1M	2023
Georgia	$94.4M	2023
Mozambique	$94.2M	2022
Armenia	$93.9M	2023
Burkina Faso	$91.1M	2020
Iceland	$89.7M	2023
Montenegro	$82.5M	2023
Moldova	$80.6M	2023
Kyrgyzstan	$78.4M	2023
Trinidad and Tobago	$76.4M	2023
Chad	$75.7M	2022
Niger	$74.4M	2022
Bahamas	$74.2M	2023
Botswana	$71M	2022
Brunei Darussalam	$69.1M	2023
Papua New Guinea	$65.4M	2000
North Macedonia	$63.5M	2023
Malta	$57.6M	2012
Rwanda	$56.4M	2023
Syrian Arab Republic	$55.2M	2013
Namibia	$54.3M	2023
Guinea	$53.7M	2018
Albania	$45.6M	2023
Eritrea	$43.1M	2013
Afghanistan	$40.3M	2022
Macao, China	$39.7M	2023
New Caledonia	$37.6M	2000
Bhutan	$37.3M	2023
Fiji	$35.6M	2020
Malawi	$33.9M	2022
South Sudan	$31.1M	2019
Barbados	$30.9M	2018
Seychelles	$29.3M	2023
Djibouti	$28.8M	2023
Nepal (Republic of)	$25.2M	2003
Aruba	$24.6M	2008
Liechtenstein	$21.4M	2023
Cayman Islands	$21.2M	2017
Jersey	$18.5M	2000
Gabon	$18.2M	2005
Saint Lucia	$18.2M	2018
State of Palestine	$17.8M	2018
Cabo Verde	$16.6M	2023
Maldives	$14.8M	2004
Guyana	$14.6M	2017
Belize	$14M	2012
Timor-Leste	$13.9M	2009
Eswatini	$13.8M	2022
Monaco	$13.1M	2019
British Virgin Islands	$12.1M	2018
Central African Rep.	$11M	2019
Bermuda	$10.7M	2004
Lesotho	$7.59M	2023
Guernsey	$7.37M	2000
Grenada	$7.28M	2014
Turkmenistan	$7.27M	2002
Tajikistan	$6.53M	2003
Dominica	$5.83M	2017
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	$5.52M	2020
Saint Kitts and Nevis	$5.24M	2017
Samoa	$4.96M	2017
Tonga	$4.47M	2018
Suriname	$4.09M	2023
Nicaragua	$3.45M	2023
Sao Tome and Principe	$3.05M	2023
San Marino	$2.74M	2007
Gambia	$2.64M	2018
Burundi	$2.53M	2023
Comoros	$1.85M	2023
Micronesia	$1.74M	2006
Kiribati	$1.21M	2023
Palau	$1.12M	2015
Falkland (Malvinas) Is.	$909K	2002
Liberia	$384K	2013
St. Helena	$162K	2014
Venezuela	$62.5K	2018
Guinea-Bissau	$29.6K	2023
Lao P.D.R.	$15.7K	2017
Solomon Islands	$9.50	2016
Vanuatu	$0.00	2018

Note: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.

Read next: Which Tech Companies Make the Most Money per Employee?
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Google's AI Summaries Spark Antitrust Action in Europe

Independent publishers across Europe are pushing back. As per Reuters, on June 30, they filed a complaint with the European Commission, accusing Google of cutting off vital web traffic to news sites through its AI-generated summaries. The group argues the practice isn’t just unfair, it’s eroding competition and making it harder for journalism to survive online.

What’s driving the dispute is Google’s "AI Overviews", those AI responses that now show up before anything else in search. They're short (and sometimes longer) summaries written by artificial intelligence, designed to answer user queries directly. But publishers say these responses often strip away the need to visit actual websites. And that, they argue, is where the damage begins.

The Independent Publishers Alliance, which coordinated the complaint, says the system gives Google an unfair advantage by drawing from publisher content while leaving them little control. Publishers can’t opt out of having their work used in AI training or included in summaries, at least not without vanishing from Google Search altogether. That catch-22, they argue, forces them to choose between visibility and exploitation.

Studies tracking search behavior back up some of the claims. One analysis found that when AI Overviews appear, clicks to top-ranked websites drop by more than a third. Another showed that in May 2025, nearly 70 percent of news-related searches ended without any user clicking through to a publisher’s site. A year ago, that figure was 56 percent.

Some publishers, especially those in education or local media, report losses as high as 40 percent. The problem isn’t limited to Europe either. Media groups in Brazil have raised similar concerns and asked their regulators to investigate.

Google rolled out AI Overviews across more than 100 countries. By mid-2025, it began placing ads within them. Publishers argue this turns their content into free fuel for Google’s ad revenue, while original reporting is buried further down the page.

User testing paints a picture of how people actually interact with the summaries. Most don’t scroll past them. Some click to expand the answer, but rarely move beyond it. When users do exit the page, they often land on Reddit or YouTube, not traditional news sites.

Regulators in the UK have taken notice. The Competition and Markets Authority confirmed it received a related complaint. The agency is weighing whether Google should be labeled a "strategic market operator", a classification that would give regulators more power to step in.

Across the Atlantic, lawsuits are piling up. In the U.S., one edtech firm filed suit, blaming AI Overviews for lost subscriptions and lower traffic. Judges there have already ruled in separate cases that Google held monopolies in both search and advertising. One ruling suggested breaking up parts of the business could be on the table.

Google has defended the AI Overviews feature, saying it helps people discover more information and drives billions of clicks to websites every day. A company spokesperson also questioned the accuracy of the traffic studies, calling the data incomplete and the conclusions misleading. The company points out that search traffic naturally fluctuates with seasons, trends, and regular algorithm changes.

Still, timing matters. The European Commission is already reviewing Google’s broader compliance with the Digital Markets Act. Part of that investigation is looking at whether AI Overviews violate rules tied to Google's powerful position in the search market. If the Commission finds merit in the complaint, it could impose temporary restrictions while the case is reviewed.

The publishers involved say this isn’t just about traffic stats, it’s about survival. As more search results get resolved by AI and fewer people click through to the sources, the financial model behind independent journalism becomes harder to sustain.

Google, meanwhile, is moving full speed ahead. CEO Sundar Pichai recently announced the company will spend $75 billion this year on AI infrastructure, up from $20 billion just a few years ago. That includes more AI tools across search, advertising, and other parts of the platform.

With so much riding on search visibility, publishers are being pushed to rethink their strategy. Traditional SEO is losing ground. Some outlets are trying to optimize content for both AI and humans, but it’s a moving target. The rules keep shifting.

The complaint in Europe echoes a larger shift. The internet that once rewarded links and referrals is starting to favor answers without destinations. For many publishers, that change isn't just inconvenient, it’s existential.

Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.

Read next: Which Tech Companies Make the Most Money per Employee?
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World

Which Tech Companies Make the Most Money per Employee?

Not every company needs thousands of employees to pull in billions. Some of the most profitable names in tech keep their teams small, and still manage to earn more per person than almost anyone else.

Take Tether, for example. It doesn’t make headlines like Apple or Google, but it’s handling an enormous volume of stablecoin activity behind the scenes. The company generates more than $83 million per employee, which sounds almost unreal until you realize how much of its business runs on software and constant transactions. The size of the staff? Pretty small. The reach? Global.

Valve comes next. That’s the company behind Steam, which sells video games online. It doesn’t ship boxes or stock shelves. People buy games, download them, and that’s it. Valve earns about $19 million per person working there, and it doesn’t even have 400 employees. It’s been operating like that for years, quietly.

YouTube is bigger in size, but the structure isn’t so different. Most of the videos are made by users. The platform just needs to manage what’s uploaded, sort it, and serve ads. Even with a staff in the thousands, it brings in more than $7 million for each one.

NVIDIA is further down the list, but still impressive. It’s selling hardware, specifically chips used in AI and gaming. Even with that manufacturing complexity, the company earns over $3 million per employee. Demand is high enough to make up for the extra weight.

Then there are the platforms we all use every day. Instagram makes around $2.5 million per employee. Apple and Meta land close to that too. It’s not just about hardware or social media, it’s the ability to stretch digital infrastructure without needing to double headcount.

Alphabet, which owns Google, sits under $2 million per person. Airbnb, Broadcom, and Uber are in the same ballpark. These companies are still efficient, but they rely more on people to handle operations, whether that’s rides, listings, or devices.

Further down the list, Microsoft, Etsy, Upwork, and Booking Holdings earn somewhere between $1 million and $1.3 million per worker. Even TikTok, which dominates in usage, brings in less, about $600,000 per person. And Amazon? Around $400,000. That’s the lowest in the group, but also the most labor-intensive business by far. Warehouses, drivers, customer service, it all adds up.

The common thread? Companies that run on software, platforms, or automation need fewer people to keep growing. User-generated content, digital marketplaces, cloud tools, those scale without adding bodies. The result is more revenue per employee, sometimes by a huge margin.

The fewer people it takes to run the system, the bigger the payoff seems to be.

Platform	Revenue per Employee ($)
Tether	$83,000,000
Valve	$19,000,000
YouTube	$7,600,000
NVIDIA	$3,600,000
Instagram	$2,500,000
Lyft	$2,000,000
Twitch	$2,000,000
Apple	$2,400,000
Meta	$2,200,000
Alphabet	$1,900,000
Airbnb	$1,500,000
Broadcom	$1,400,000
Uber	$1,400,000
Upwork	$1,300,000
Etsy	$1,200,000
Mercari	$1,100,000
Microsoft	$1,100,000
Instacart	$1,000,000
Booking Holdings	$1,000,000
eBay	$900,000
TikTok	$600,000
Amazon	$400,000

Note: This list includes only widely recognized platforms deemed safe for general audiences. Platforms with adult-only content or safety concerns were excluded to maintain relevance and appropriateness.

Read next: Smartwatch Shipments Slip Again in 2025, but China Keeps Gaining Ground
by Irfan Ahmad via Digital Information World