‘We continue to send billions of clicks’, says Google as it denies AI is killing web traffic

Google web traffic

There have been a lot of concerns from publishers that AI tools like chatbots and AI-generated answers are siphoning off traffic. Google, however, is pushing back those claims. In a new blog post, Google VP and Head of Search Liz Reid insists that organic click volume from Search has remained “relatively stable” year over year, with a slight uptick in what it calls “click quality.” However, Google hasn’t released any concrete data to support the claim.

Google’s defence comes as studies continue to show growing “zero-click” search behavior — where users get answers directly from search pages without visiting any websites. According to a report by Tech Crunch, one recent Similarweb report found that 69% of news-related searches in May 2025 didn’t result in any click-throughs, up from 56% the previous year after the rollout of AI Overviews.

Other avenues than web for users

Even Google acknowledges that some sites are seeing traffic decline. Reid attributes this not just to AI but to changing user habits, pointing to a growing preference for forums, videos, and first-hand perspectives. This shift has been evident for years. Back in 2022, a Google executive admitted that nearly 40% of young people used TikTok or Instagram instead of Google when searching for restaurants. Meanwhile, Amazon became the default for shopping searches, and Reddit the go-to for in-depth information — forcing Google to add a “forums” filter to its search results. "People are increasingly seeking out and clicking on sites with forums, videos, podcasts, and posts where they can hear authentic voices and first-hand perspectives," said Reid in the blog post.

Google now argues that publishers should focus less on raw click numbers and more on click quality—meaning visits where users actually engage with the content. It also claims AI Overviews are giving more exposure to links, increasing chances for deeper user interaction. "We believe that AI will be one of the most expansionary moments for the web, empowering us all to ask vastly more questions and creators to reach more deeply engaged audiences," noted Reid. Yet for many publishers, those deeper clicks aren’t translating to sustainable traffic.

Perhaps recognising this, Google has begun promoting alternative revenue models like micropayments and newsletter sign-ups to help websites monetise more effectively in an AI-dominated landscape.

So while Google maintains that AI isn’t killing the web, the broader trend suggests search traffic is being reshaped, and not always in ways that benefit publishers.