As concerns grow over the effect of AI-generated search results on publishers’ revenue, Google has disputed claims that its AI features are responsible for a drop in website traffic.
The tech giant maintains that despite a significant increase in AI usage and changes in user behavior, the overall click-through rates from its search engine have remained “relatively stable” over the past year.
Google’s Vice President and Head of Search pushed back against numerous third-party studies and mounting criticism from media outlets that claim AI-powered search tools, including AI Overviews and conversational interfaces, are directing fewer users to external websites.
Reid wrote, “This data stands in contrast to third-party reports that incorrectly suggest dramatic declines in aggregate traffic—often based on flawed methodologies, isolated examples, or traffic changes that happened prior to the launch of AI features in Search.”
While Google did not release specific data, it asserted that click quality—a metric for how long users stay on a site after clicking—has slightly improved. According to Google, users who are referred through AI responses are now more likely to engage deeply with the source content, making those referrals more valuable than they were in the past.
However, analysts and publishers remain skeptical.
“That word ‘stable’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting,” one media analyst commented. “Google isn’t sharing site-level data, nor is it specifying which publishers are gaining or losing traffic.”
AI vs. Traditional Clicks
AI Overviews, which were introduced in May 2024, provide concise, AI-generated answers at the top of Google search results, often eliminating the need for users to click through to the original source. Since their introduction, studies have shown a troubling trend: a Similarweb report found that “zero-click” searches for news rose from 56% in May 2024 to 69% by May 2025.
Despite these findings, Google argues that AI is expanding access to information and displaying more links on results pages, which it claims leads to “more opportunities for websites to get clicked.” Critics, however, contend that an increase in visible links doesn’t necessarily translate into genuine user engagement, especially if AI answers satisfy the query on the search results page itself.
Reid also acknowledged a shift in user trends, conceding that some websites are losing traffic even if aggregate levels are unchanged. She noted that users are increasingly seeking out content with “authentic voices,” such as forums, podcasts, and video platforms.
Changing Habits: TikTok, Reddit, and Amazon Challenge Google
Even within Google’s own leadership, there has been prior acknowledgment that traditional search is losing ground.
In 2022, Prabhakar Raghavan, then Google’s SVP, revealed that nearly 40% of young users now begin their searches on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, particularly when looking for local recommendations—a domain once dominated by Google Maps and Search.
Meanwhile, Reddit and Amazon have become primary platforms for product searches and in-depth research, prompting Google to implement new features such as forum filters and integrated Reddit results.
Publisher Frustration Grows
For many online publishers, the stakes are significant. The decline in referral traffic, particularly for news organizations already facing financial pressures, has prompted widespread worry about the viability of digital journalism in the age of generative AI.
While Google has introduced tools to help publishers adapt—including monetization solutions like micropayments and newsletter integrations—critics view these as a response to growing dependence on the platform rather than a solution to the fundamental issues that AI has exacerbated.
“Google wants publishers to focus on ‘click quality’ rather than raw volume,” noted an editor at a major news outlet. “But if AI keeps users on the search results page, how are we supposed to survive on quality alone?”
Although Google’s blog post is intended to ease fears, some observers see it as an effort to control the narrative amid mounting backlash—not just from publishers but from regulators and policymakers who are scrutinizing the company’s dominance in both advertising and search.
“Google may still send billions of clicks,” one media researcher commented, “but that’s like saying the ocean is wet. It’s not about absolutes—it’s about who’s sinking, and who’s swimming.”
