The digital publishing industry has historically relied on Google search traffic to drive reader engagement and revenue. Many outlets invested significant resources into optimizing webpages to rank highly in search results, aiming to capture clicks and introduce new audiences to their content. This symbiotic relationship, where publishers gained visibility and Google benefited from indexed content, defined the sector for years. However, the introduction of AI-driven search features by Google has begun to upend these established dynamics. The Verge's weekly newsletter, The Stepback, examines how these technological changes are impacting the web ecosystem. Emma Roth covers AI's impact on the web for The Verge. The newsletter is delivered to subscribers on Sundays at 8 a.m. ET.