Google Refutes Claims AI Search Is Killing Publisher Traffic, Reports Stable Click Volume

Tech giant Google on Wednesday, August 7, clarified that it still sends traffic from its search engine to websites after several reports and studies claimed that the shift to AI search features and the use of AI chatbots are killing traffic to publishers’ sites.

The search giant says that the total organic click volume from its search engine to websites has been relatively stable year-on-year and that average click quality has slightly increased.

Google’s vice‑president and head of Search, Liz Reid, stated in his latest blog that “This data is in contrast to third‑party reports that inaccurately suggest dramatic declines in aggregate traffic often based on flawed methodologies, isolated examples or traffic changes that occurred prior to the rollout of AI features in Search.”

Selective Traffic Shifts

The argument that only some sites are losing traffic has drawn scrutiny. Analysts note that without disclosing how many or which sites are affected, Google’s claim may obscure significant declines in key publisher audiences. Meanwhile, standalone chatbots such as ChatGPT have documented rising user engagement, suggesting that at least part of the search audience is seeking answers outside traditional search results.

Even before AI’s arrival on the results page, Google acknowledged in 2022 that younger users increasingly bypass its core products. Prabhakar Raghavan, then head of Google’s Knowledge and Information organisation, revealed that nearly 40 percent of young people now turn to TikTok or Instagram for queries such as restaurant recommendations rather than Google Search or Maps. Similarly, Amazon has cemented itself as the first stop for product searches and Reddit for in‑depth topic research.

Google’s Feature Playbook

To counter these trends, Google has layered on features aimed at keeping users on its properties. Its Shopping service added free merchant listings, universal carts, local inventory checks and image‑based shopping links. In response to high demand for forum‑style content, Google also introduced a “forums” filter, originally labeled “Reddit”, to surface community‑driven discussions within search results.

Industry observers argue that AI augments a long‑running evolution in how people discover information online rather than precipitating a sudden collapse of Google Search. As users diversify their entry points, favouring social media, specialised marketplaces and conversational AI, Google’s challenge is less about “saving” search and more about adapting its products to an increasingly fragmented attention economy.