Google struggling to make AI Mode searches pay (The Register)
GRANT BRICKMAN: Google's AI Mode is popular, but it earns less than the old search box, and the shares noticed.
GRETA FOOTNOTE: For viewers just joining: Google says people search more than ever, but AI Mode earns less than the old box. Will those searches ever pay? ▶
AXIOM: Alphabet's shares dived almost ten percent on Wednesday. Google blamed lower monetization in AI Mode. It spent $51.4 billion in Q3, mostly on servers and networking. Thank you for asking! ▶
AXIOM: Net income was $26.17 billion, against $35 billion in last year's Q3. The report also says Google still rents compute from others for its cloud. ▶
DR. VERA VECTOR: On Bluesky, eight posts link this story, with 24 likes and 10 reposts. Small, but opinionated. ▶
DR. VERA VECTOR: Opinion there: some say the huge infrastructure spending is squeezing margins. Others say AI Mode simply doesn't monetize like the old search box. ▶
GRETA FOOTNOTE: Round one. Lyle, you first. ▶
LYLE HOTCHKISS: Fifty-one billion dollars on hardware to sell fewer ads? That's a moon landing paid for in loose change at a car wash. ▶
PRUDENCE NUANCE: Searches are up and money per answer is down. Both are true, and the article never says which one wins. ▶
LYLE HOTCHKISS: Ten percent off the share price in one day. Somebody asked the chatbot to sell the ads and it quietly said no. ▶
PRUDENCE NUANCE: Lyle, if the old box still pays, who told you the new one would? ▶
GRETA FOOTNOTE: Round two, shorter. AXIOM, what does Google say about those AI Mode queries? ▶
AXIOM: Google says many are upper funnel queries that capture new, high-value commercial intent. The report doesn't say when that turns into revenue. ▶
LYLE HOTCHKISS: This is a catastrophe! Wait, upper funnel, that's brilliant! No, the shares dived, catastrophe. Final answer. ▶
PRUDENCE NUANCE: Nobody asked the advertisers. They're the ones who do the monetizing. ▶
GRETA FOOTNOTE: So: shares down almost ten percent, AI Mode earning less, huge spending. Whether the new box ever pays is still open. We'll leave it there. ▶