Google Denies AI Search Hurting Website Traffic

Several studies have highlighted the decline in website traffic attributed to AI search features and chatbots, but Google refuted these claims broadly on Wednesday. The search giant stated that annual organic click-through rates from its search results to websites remain "relatively stable," with marginal improvements in average click quality.

"This contradicts third-party reports that inaccurately suggest sharp traffic declines - often based on flawed methodologies, isolated examples, or traffic shifts occurring before AI features were deployed in search," wrote Liz Reid, Google's vice president of search, in a new blog post.

While Google hasn't shared specific supporting data for this assertion, even if we accept their claim as valid, it doesn't necessarily negate AI's influence on traffic patterns. Reid acknowledged "user trends are redirecting traffic to different sites, causing some to lose while others gain visitors" - though the scale remains unspecified.

The word "some" is critical here, as Google provides no metrics on how many websites experienced gains or losses. While platforms like ChatGPT have seen traffic increases, this doesn't confirm online publishers remain unaffected by algorithmic changes.

Google has long enhanced its search engine to directly answer questions on SERPs through its "AI Overviews" at the top of results, and now allows chatbot interactions for select queries. They deny these features significantly reshape search, instead suggesting users begin journeys elsewhere.

Reid explained: "People increasingly seek out sites with forums, videos, podcasts and posts where they can access authentic voices and first-person perspectives."

Beneath the rhetoric, Google.com appears to be losing primacy as the starting point for online journeys - a trend already well-established. In 2022, a Google exec admitted social platforms like TikTok and Instagram were eroding core products such as search and maps.

"In our research, nearly 40% of young people skip Google Maps or Search when looking for lunch locations," said Prabhakar Raghavan, then-head of knowledge organization (now CTO). "They go to TikTok or Instagram instead," he noted.

Google also recognizes Amazon.com as the primary shopping search destination, and Reddit.com as the top research platform for interests. Over years, the company has introduced features like universal shopping carts, local inventory checks, and image-based shopping to attract users to Google Shopping - even offering free shopping list services in 2020.

As users complained about declining search quality, Google added a "Reddit" filter (now labeled "Forum") to help narrow search results, underscoring the platform's growing influence.

So Google's denial holds partial truth - AI isn't solely responsible for traffic erosion. The search landscape was already shifting before AI integration. Similarweb's recent analysis shows zero-click search rates for news sites rose from 56% in May 2024 (when AI Overviews launched) to 69% in May 2025.

Google recently introduced a publisher-focused product helping sites monetize dwindling traffic through alternatives like micro-payments or newsletter subscriptions. Their current PR campaign insisting "AI isn't the end of search traffic!" only deepens tensions. It seems Google wants publishers to trust their assertion of "billions of daily clicks" rather than relying on visible metrics and data visualizations.

Reid emphasizes AI presents new exposure opportunities for publishers, claiming "AI Overviews display more links per page than before" - more queries and links mean "more chances for sites to surface and receive clicks." But as a growing recommendation source, AI still hasn't closed the traffic gap, according to reports.