Can Google Survive Without Search? -- Barrons.com

Dow Jones
Jun 21, 2025

To the Editor:

According to ChatGPT, Google received 61.4% of its full-year 2024 revenue from search ("Google Search Is Fading. The Whole Internet Is At Risk," Cover Story, June 13). If Google loses half of that revenue in the next three years, all of its other businesses would have to grow revenue by 79.5% over three years to make up for that. Waymo has the potential to do that, but I'm not sure if any of the other businesses have that growth potential.

Rick Elkin

On Barrons.com

Fannie and Freddie

To the Editor:

Joe Light highlights one of the cruel episodes in dealing with Congress and Fannie Mae (" Taking Fannie and Freddie Public Is Trump's Dream. It Might Be Just a Fantasy," June 12). Possible future investors should have strong negative knee-jerk reactions because Fannie and Freddie are still under the "conservatorship" of Congress, which siphoned off $300 billion of profit that rightfully belongs to stockholders -- and could do so again. I, and thousands of others, were burned by our own government. Never again!

B.J. Khalifah

Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Workforce Disruption

To the Editor:

The interview with Vanguard's Joseph Davis shows that his statistical model distills numerous market-moving forces down to two competing fundamental drivers: "growing fiscal deficits...and the potential for artificial intelligence to boost growth" (" This Economist Won't Rule Out 9% Bond Yields," June 12). Since both forces are dominant and likely to continue growing, one could take comfort in thinking that the negatives resulting from one would be largely offset by the growth and productivity gains from the other. However, the model appears to be blind to another consequence from AI implementation -- an increasing and widespread disruption to the workforce. While AI is still in its earliest stages, recent data show that important workforce changes are under way. AI will continue to foster employment in defined technical sectors, but there will be substantial job losses in many others. If AI had been considered for its significant workforce negatives, as well as for its expansive benefits, Vanguard's model would have more realistically cast a shadow as opposed to its implied, market-neutral outlook.

Tom Routliffe

Wakefield, R.I.

Tesla Prophesy

To the Editor:

During the past several years, a number of investment gurus have been prophesying the demise of Tesla (" Tesla Stock Has Lost Its Trump Bump. How to Play the Shares Now," The Striking Price, June 11). Nevertheless, Tesla is still going strong today. The company is so much more than a manufacturer of electric cars, and CEO Elon Musk is a man of great technological and business acumen.

Erik H. Schot

Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Fla.

This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

 

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 20, 2025 18:42 ET (22:42 GMT)

Copyright (c) 2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

At the request of the copyright holder, you need to log in to view this content

Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.

Most Discussed

  1. 1
     
     
     
     
  2. 2
     
     
     
     
  3. 3
     
     
     
     
  4. 4
     
     
     
     
  5. 5
     
     
     
     
  6. 6
     
     
     
     
  7. 7
     
     
     
     
  8. 8
     
     
     
     
  9. 9
     
     
     
     
  10. 10