Google admits the open web is in ‘rapid decline’

Here is a 200-word summary of the news article: Google has admitted that "the open web is already in rapid decline" in a court filing related to a trial regarding its monopoly in the advertising technology business. The company argues that breaking up its advertising business, as recommended by the US Department of Justice, would "only accelerate" this decline, "harming publishers who currently rely on open-web display advertising revenue." This statement contrasts with Google's recent narrative about the health of search on the web. The company has claimed it is sending traffic to a wider range of sources and publishers, and that the web is "thriving." However, the filing suggests that the rise of AI and the popularity of non-open web display ad formats, like Connected TV and retail media, are contributing to the decline of the open web. Google's spokesperson has said the statement is being taken out of context and that the company is referring specifically to "open-web display advertising," not the open web as a whole. The tech giant has a clear incentive to appear weaker or less monopolistic in the courtroom, but its admission reflects the reality many publishers are facing, with reports of declining web traffic following changes to Google's search algorithm and the rise of AI chatbots.