Reddit Weighs Cutting Google Access Over AI Content Use

Reddit’s vast archive of continuously updated, human-written discussions has become valuable to search engines and generative AI developers. The company expanded its partnership with Google on Feb. 22, 2024, giving the technology group structured access to posts and comments through its Data API. The arrangement, reported at roughly $60 million a year, allowed Google to improve search products and train models, making it a test case for pricing online content and traffic referrals.

Reddit has discussed restricting or ending Google’s access to its content for AI use, according to a July 22, 2026, report, though no decision has been made. The deliberations come as publishers question whether search visibility compensates for content used in AI answers that may reduce click-through traffic. Semrush data cited in the report showed organic U.S. Google traffic to USA Today fell by nearly half between June 2025 and June 2026.