Barry Adams Warns: LLM Hallucinations Are Replacing Truth With Convenience—And Publishers Are Ignoring the Cost

As artificial intelligence continues to reshape the digital landscape, a growing concern looms over its unchecked integration into search engines and journalism. Barry Adams, a renowned authority on editorial SEO, is sounding the alarm on the dangers of Large Language Model (LLM) hallucinations, warning that generative AI systems are replacing factual accuracy with persuasive fiction—and the media industry is turning a blind eye.

The Rise of Generative AI and the Search Shakeup

The launch of ChatGPT in late 2022 sent shockwaves through the search engine industry. In response, Google rapidly introduced AI Overviews and, more recently, AI Mode tabs, aiming to keep pace with evolving user expectations for conversational and journey-based search experiences.

This shift marks a fundamental transformation in how information is delivered online. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) are becoming more entangled with LLM-powered content, creating a hybrid of traditional indexing and generative text. Yet beneath this innovation lies a troubling flaw—hallucinations.

LLM hallucinations refer to the confident presentation of false or fabricated information generated by AI systems. According to Adams, this issue is not just prevalent, it’s becoming normalized by users, tech giants, and even the media outlets it threatens.

Barry Adams Says LLMs Are Not Intelligent

In an interview with IMHO, Adams minced no words when describing the core problem: “LLMs are incredibly dumb. There is nothing intelligent about LLMs.” He argues that calling them “AI” misleads the public. “They’re advanced word predictors, probability machines—they don’t understand or verify the truth.”

When prompted to use only verified sources, LLMs may still fabricate references. Adams likens their responses to predictive text on steroids: “They will just make stuff up and very confidently present it to you because that’s just what they do.”

This false confidence, he explains, is dangerous, particularly when AI-generated answers are treated as trustworthy by both users and search engines.

The Spiral of Misinformation and Convenient Lies

Adams raises deeper concerns about the societal effects of AI-fueled misinformation. He believes LLMs are accelerating a “spiral of misinformation,” where AI-generated content draws from other AI content, progressively detaching itself from verified facts.

He notes that social media has already trained the public to value affirmation over truth, and LLMs only reinforce this trend. “The real threat is how AI is replacing truth with convenience,” Adams says.

With Google now deploying AI-generated answers front and center, he fears users will no longer seek information critically, instead accepting pre-packaged responses that confirm existing biases.

Why Isn’t the Media Holding AI Accountable?

Despite growing concern within the tech world, Adams says the media has been disturbingly quiet about the flaws of generative AI.

“Google is such a powerful force in driving traffic and revenue to publishers that a lot of them are afraid to write too critically,” Adams reveals. “They feel there might be repercussions.”

Moreover, many journalists outside the tech beat don’t fully grasp how LLMs work. The result is a systemic failure to question Google’s claims—like its promise that AI Overviews would increase traffic to publishers, a claim Adams dismisses as absurd.

“It turns out, no, that’s the exact opposite of what’s happening,” he says. “Everybody with two brain cells saw that coming a mile away.”

What’s Happening to News Publisher Traffic?

While AI Overviews don’t always appear on breaking news, publishers are still seeing a steady decline in traffic. Adams attributes this to a combination of factors.

“People still click to verify citations,” he acknowledges, “but not like they used to.” Where a reader might have once clicked on 30 to 40 links for research, they now settle for a few, if any, after receiving an AI summary.

Meanwhile, AI systems are swallowing traffic to explainer articles, background pieces, and analysis, core content types that historically drove engagement for publishers.

This trend compounds a long-standing pattern: Google’s evolving features, algorithm changes, and content modules have systematically chipped away at publishers’ visibility.

“Google is the monopoly informational gateway,” Adams argues. “You can say, ‘Don’t rely on Google,’ but if you’re a publisher, you have to be where your audience is.”

How Can Publishers Survive the AI Search Age?

Faced with dwindling search traffic and increasing AI dominance, Adams says publishers must adapt—or risk extinction.

First, they must stop chasing generalized traffic and build a brand identity. “I think publishers need to be more confident about what they are—and what they’re not,” he explains.

He points to the Financial Times as a model of clarity. Its strong editorial voice and specific value proposition help it convert readers into loyal subscribers. Similarly, the Daily Mail thrives by consistently aligning with reader expectations—its name alone is a search term.

“You need a strong brand voice,” Adams emphasizes. “Too many publishers try to be everything to everybody and end up being nothing to nobody.”

The Brand Identity Imperative

The existential threat, Adams warns, is greatest for interchangeable content producers—those offering identical news with similar tone, screenshots, and structure.

“They become fungible,” he explains. “If readers can’t tell the difference between your article and the next one, they won’t care who they’re reading.”

Instead, publishers must offer unique, unmistakable value—content and perspectives readers can’t get anywhere else. That means cultivating voice, style, and trust—then building direct relationships through newsletters, mobile apps, and subscriptions.

“It’s about survival through distinctiveness,” says Adams. “If you don’t have a clear brand identity, you probably won’t exist in the next five to ten years.”

The Road Ahead – A Call for Honesty and Strategy

Barry Adams’ warnings are blunt but necessary. Generative AI has fundamentally altered the rules of digital publishing. While search traffic may continue to decline, the opportunity to rebuild trust and loyalty remains.

To thrive in the era of AI, publishers must embrace transparency about AI’s limitations, invest in brand strategy, and create content ecosystems that don’t rely on the next algorithm tweak.

In short, publishers must decide: Chase the traffic that’s drying up, or build a direct path to the audience that still cares.

What should publishers do about AI and search engine traffic loss?

They must stop relying on generic search traffic and start cultivating direct reader relationships. This includes building strong, recognizable brand identities, producing unique content, investing in newsletters and subscriptions, and being honest about AI’s limitations. Trust and distinctiveness—not mass content—will define the next generation of successful media companies.