Today’s Digest discusses publishers seeing a drop in traffic from Google’s AI tools, Mars’ $1.7bn global media account being pulled from WPP and given to Publicis, as well as Meta’s plans to acquire a stake in Scale AI for $14.8bn.

Publishers Hit by Drop in Traffic from Google’s AI Tools

News publishers are facing a sharp decline in traffic as Google’s AI-driven search features continue to disrupt the traditional referral pipeline. New tools like AI Overviews and AI Mode are reducing the need for users to click through to external links, with significant implications for media business models.

According to Similarweb data, organic search traffic to HuffPost has dropped by more than 50% over the past three years, with the Washington Post seeing nearly the same decline. Business Insider experienced a 55% fall in organic search referrals between April 2022 and April 2025. Business Insider CEO, Barbara Peng, cited “extreme traffic drops outside of our control” as the driving force behind the publisher cutting 21% of its workforce last month. 

As generative AI reshapes the discovery ecosystem, publishers are being forced to confront a fundamental shift in how audiences access information online.

Mars Shifts its $1.7bn Global Media Account from WPP to Publicis 

Mars has shifted its global media account, worth an estimated USD$1.7bn (£1.2bn), from WPP to Publicis. This follows a competitive pitch involving the industry’s biggest agency networks: WPP, Publicis, Omnicom, and IPG. The win marks another major account shift to Publicis, which has recently poached high-profile clients from WPP, including Coca-Cola North America in March and Sky’s European media business in the UK and Ireland late last year.

The pitch covered 70 markets, spanning media, commerce, social, PR, and influencer marketing. However, WPP’s integrated agency T&P will continue to lead creative for Mars’ Food & Nutrition division; Mars’ creative advertising duties were not included in the review and will remain with Omnicom’s BBDO and DDB. 

Meta Set to Acquire Stake in Scale AI for $14.8bn

Meta is set to acquire a 49% stake in artificial intelligence firm Scale AI for USD$14.8bn (£11.6bn), according to The Information, which cited sources familiar with the deal. Scale AI specialises in providing large volumes of curated training data, an essential resource for the development of advanced AI models, including systems like OpenAI’s ChatGPT. The deal, which is not yet finalised, would mark one of Meta’s largest investments in the AI space to date. It is expected to deliver strong returns for Scale AI’s backers, including Accel, Index Ventures, Founders Fund, and Greenoaks Capital, as well as for current and former employees.

According to the report, Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang is expected to take on a senior leadership role at Meta, heading a newly formed “superintelligence” lab. 

The move comes as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg continues to aggressively recruit top AI talent to accelerate the company’s ambitions in artificial intelligence.