Podcast Summary: Hoy por Hoy – "El auge de la inteligencia artificial hunde el tráfico web de Internet"

Date: November 3, 2025
Host: Àngels Barceló
Guest: Pablo Anzola
Episode Theme: This episode of Hoy por Hoy examines the disruptive effect of artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT and enhanced Google search features, on the traditional web traffic model—and how these changes threaten the revenue foundations of many internet businesses, spark regulatory questions, and impact broader economic and labor indicators.

Main Theme Overview

The conversation centers on how the rapid rise of AI-powered info services is significantly reducing direct visits to traditional websites. This drop in traffic is undermining advertising-driven business models, challenging the sustainability of smaller sites, and prompting regulatory and legal responses. The discussion also touches on economic updates and anticipates weekly financial releases, considering how technological shifts are influencing company performance.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The AI-Driven Decline in Web Traffic

[00:08 – 01:52]

• Steep Traffic Drop:
  Pablo Anzola highlights a substantial decline in web traffic:

  • There has been an average drop of 15% in visits to traditional websites globally in the last year, according to SimilarWeb data tracking 100 million domains.

  • Notable casualty: TripAdvisor lost a third of its global visits in a year, as reported by The Economist.

    “Las visitas a las webs tradicionales se han desplomado alrededor de un 15 % en el último año, según el portal similar web que rastrea el tráfico de hasta 100 millones de dominios en todo el mundo.”
    — Pablo Anzola [00:28]

• Underlying Business Impact:
  Less traffic translates to less advertising income, undermining a primary revenue stream for websites, particularly impacting smaller portals but also established brands.

• AI's Role:
  AI-driven tools now answer user queries directly:

  • Google offers immediate responses within search, reducing the need for users to click external links.

  • Since the launch of Google AI-powered answers, searches that both begin and end in Google (without users clicking through to external sites) have risen from 56% to 69%.

    “El porcentaje de consultas que empieza y termina en Google ha pasado del 56 al 69%. Es decir, casi 7 de cada 10 búsquedas no están generando visitas en las webs…”
    — Pablo Anzola [01:29]

2. Compensation and Ethics in AI Content Use

[01:52 – 02:27]

• Do AI companies pay for web content?
  Generally, no. While there are some licensing deals with large media, most AI language models reuse content without direct payment to source sites.

  "Por lo general no. Y esa es la gran paradoja, el gran desequilibrio… La inteligencia artificial está poniendo en aprietos precisamente a la mismas webs, a las mismas fuentes que le nutren de contenido."
  — Pablo Anzola [01:58]

• The Paradox:
  AI's value relies on content generated by others, yet these providers see their own traffic and revenue nosedive.

3. Regulation and Legal Pushback

[02:27 – 03:01]

• Current EU Regulations:

  • AI models in Europe must disclose their content sources and publish lists of websites used in training.
  • No further obligations—financial or otherwise—are yet required.

• Legal Challenges:

  • Ongoing lawsuits (notably The New York Times against OpenAI and Microsoft) accuse tech firms of "vampirizing" content and violating copyright.

    "El New York Times, por ejemplo, tiene una demanda abierta contra OpenAI y Microsoft, a las que acusa de violar sus derechos de autor."
    — Pablo Anzola [02:48]

4. Broader Economic & Labor Context

[03:01 – 03:41]

• AI and Corporate Earnings:

  • AI's impact extends to corporate profits and stock markets. The week’s calendar includes major earnings reports from AMD (semiconductors), Toyota, Telefónica, and IAG.

  • Economic and employment data, such as Spain’s labor market statistics after a surprisingly strong September, will be closely watched.

    "Mañana en concreto vamos a conocer los datos de afiliación y de paro del mes de octubre…”
    — Pablo Anzola [03:23]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Surging AI Centrality:

  “Cada vez clicamos menos en esos famosos links azules de Google porque sencillamente el buscador responde directamente a nuestras consultas.”
  — Pablo Anzola [01:20]

• Host Framing the Stakes:

  “Lo que está en juego es el modelo económico sobre el que hasta ahora se ha sustentado Internet.”
  — Àngels Barceló [00:18]

Notable Timestamps

• [00:28–01:52]: Pablo Anzola breaks down data behind web traffic losses and explains how AI-driven features on Google and ChatGPT reroute user journeys.
• [01:52–02:27]: Discussion about the economic paradox where AI uses website content freely, to the detriment of the sources.
• [02:27–03:01]: Overview of the current state of regulations in the EU and summary of key lawsuits in the US.
• [03:01–03:41]: Contextualization of the discussion within broader financial and labor news.

Conclusion

This episode offers a concise yet rich analysis of how AI tools are disrupting the ecosystem of the open web. Expert guest Pablo Anzola provides context with data, industry examples, and the regulatory backdrop, while Àngels Barceló anchors the discussion in broader economic currents. The episode is essential listening for those wanting to understand AI's real-world impact beyond the hype—especially for anyone interested in the future of digital business models, journalism, and internet regulation.