Reddit Weighs Cutting Google’s AI Access in Licensing Standoff

Reddit struck a content-licensing agreement with Google in 2024 reportedly worth about $60 million a year, giving the Alphabet unit access to a real-time stream of posts and comments for AI models and search products. The pact has become a test of the web’s traditional bargain: platforms allow Google to crawl their material in return for referral traffic, while AI-generated answers increasingly satisfy users without sending them to the original source.

The Wall Street Journal reported on July 22, 2026, that Reddit executives had discussed cutting off Google’s AI access as the companies negotiate a renewal, with no final decision announced. Reddit is seeking terms that better reflect how extensively its conversations are used. The report sent Reddit shares down 5.8% in premarket trading and as much as 8.8% during the morning session, highlighting investor concern over both licensing revenue and Google-driven traffic.