Google denies AI Overviews are cutting website traffic in new report amid rising concerns

Google has pushed back against claims that its AI Overviews and other AI-powered search features are significantly reducing website traffic, despite several independent studies suggesting otherwise.

In a new blog post, Liz Reid, Google’s Vice President and Head of Search, said total organic click volume from Google Search to websites has remained “relatively stable” over the past year, with the company now delivering more “quality clicks”, defined as visits where users stay on the page rather than quickly returning to the search results. Reid argued that some reports of declining traffic rely on flawed methodologies, isolated examples or reflect unrelated changes that occurred before the rollout of AI features.

While Google did not release detailed data to support its assertions, it acknowledged that user behaviour is shifting, with some sites seeing reduced traffic and others experiencing gains. Reid said people are increasingly seeking out forums, videos, podcasts and first-hand perspectives, which may be influencing which sites receive traffic. She also positioned AI Overviews as a potential opportunity for publishers, claiming the feature surfaces more links per page, increasing the chances for websites to appear in results.

Independent research paints a different picture. A Pew Research Center analysis found that searches featuring an AI Overview lead to lower click-through rates, dropping from 15% to 8%, with just 1% of such searches resulting in a click on a cited source. Similarweb reported a 55% decline in search-driven traffic to websites between April 2022 and April 2025, with news and content publishers among the hardest hit.

Publishers have long raised concerns that Google’s shift towards answering queries directly in search results reduces the need for users to click through to external sites. Reports from major news outlets suggest organic traffic from Google has dropped by more than half in recent years, coinciding with the rollout of AI-generated summaries.

Despite industry concerns, Google maintains that AI is not reshaping the search landscape to the extent critics suggest, insisting it still sends billions of clicks to websites daily.