Google's search chief claims that 'total search click volume remains stable even after the introduction of AI features,' but no concrete data is available.
Starting in May 2024, Google Search will begin displaying 'AI-driven summaries' of information from across the web based on user input. Google's head of search, Liz Reid, has responded to criticism that these AI features are reducing website traffic.
AI in Search: Driving more queries and higher quality clicks
Google denies AI search features are killing website traffic | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2025/08/06/google-denies-ai-search-features-are-killing-website-traffic/
Google search boss says AI isn't killing search clicks - Ars Technica
https://arstechnica.com/google/2025/08/google-search-boss-says-ai-isnt-killing-search-clicks/
'AI summary' is a feature that uses AI to summarize the information users want and display the text directly in search results. Since this summary allows users to get some information without opening the website, it has been pointed out that AI summary reduces website traffic.
In fact, there have been numerous reports of reduced website traffic due to AI summaries. Analysis by research firm Similarweb found that the number of visits to major news sites from Google searches fell sharply over the three years up to 2025, with sites like HuffPost and The Washington Post seeing their traffic drop by nearly half.
Additionally, a study by the nonprofit Pew Research Center found that users of Google Search were less likely to click on links within search results that displayed an 'AI-generated summary' than those that did not.
Survey reveals that users are less likely to click on links when 'AI-generated summaries' appear in search results - GIGAZINE
In a post on the official Google blog on August 6, Reid acknowledged that he had received questions about the AI overview and the impact the introduction of AI Mode would have on website traffic. He went on to say, 'Overall, the total volume of organic clicks to websites from Google Search has remained relatively stable year-over-year,' claiming that the total volume of traffic has not decreased.
According to Reid, the advent of AI summaries has led users to search more and see links on pages more often. If a user's question is simple, like 'When is the next full moon?' or 'What was the score of yesterday's baseball game?', they may be satisfied with just seeing the AI summary and not click any further. However, if a user wants to dig deeper into a topic or purchase something, they will click on a link to continue researching or purchasing. Because of this change in search behavior, 'quality clicks'—those where users don't immediately return to their browser—are more common than they were a year ago.
'While overall website traffic has remained relatively stable, the web is large and user behavior is shifting traffic to different sites,' Reed said. 'As a result, traffic to some sites is declining and traffic to others is increasing. People are increasingly seeking out and clicking on forums, videos, podcasts, and posts that offer real voices and first-hand perspectives.'
TechCrunch and Ars Technica pointed out that Read's claims are unconvincing because Google has not released specific data. They also said that the 'forum' Read mentioned, where clicks are increasing, is likely referring to the overseas message board Reddit.
Ars Technica points out that Reddit signed a huge contract with Google in February 2024 to provide data for AI training, and since then, links to Reddit have appeared more frequently in Google search results. As a result, Reddit has experienced significant growth over the past 18 months, with the number of daily active users reportedly reaching 110.4 million in the second quarter of 2025, a 21% year-on-year increase.
TechCrunch said, 'The fact that Google is promoting the idea that 'AI isn't the end of search traffic!' makes the situation even more serious. It's as if Google is trying to get publishers to find comfort in facts like those asserted in Reid's article, that Google continues to send 'billions of clicks to websites' every day, rather than the facts that their own eyes, graphs, and charts show.'
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