Google is pushing back against the growing belief that AI search is reducing website traffic.
Nick Fox, Google’s Senior Vice President of Knowledge & Information, said that Google’s AI Search features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, are now sending “billions of clicks to websites every week.”
He added that Google Search as a whole continues to send billions of clicks to the web every day, arguing that AI is expanding, not replacing, the open web.
Google’s Response to Traffic Concerns
As AI Overviews and AI Mode become a larger part of Google Search, many publishers and SEO professionals have reported declines in organic traffic. Pew Research Center studies have suggested that AI-generated answers reduce the number of users clicking through to websites.
Google says the opposite is happening.
According to Nick Fox, users are searching more than ever, and AI-powered experiences are creating additional opportunities for people to discover and visit websites.
He also described the traffic from AI Search as higher-quality clicks, noting that users who click after reading an AI response are often more engaged. However, Google did not share any data or methodology to support these claims.
No Numbers Behind the “Billions” Claim
While Google’s statement sounds significant, it comes without detailed metrics.
The company did not reveal:
- How many clicks come from AI Overviews versus AI Mode.
- How these numbers compare with traffic before AI Search launched.
- Which industries or website types benefit the most.
- Whether overall publisher traffic has increased or decreased.
Without this data, independent verification of the claim isn’t possible.
Why the Debate Continues
Google’s announcement arrives while multiple independent studies continue to report declining click-through rates when AI-generated answers appear in search results.
Some research has found that AI Overviews can reduce clicks to traditional search listings, while broader industry reports from SparkToro show that zero-click searches continue to rise.
This has led many publishers to question whether AI Search is shifting user behavior away from websites, even if Google still sends billions of visits overall.
Why It Matters
Google’s statement signals that the company wants publishers to see AI Search as an opportunity rather than a threat.
For website owners, the message is clear: Google believes AI-powered search will continue driving traffic to quality content. At the same time, publishers are asking for greater transparency and reporting tools to measure exactly how much traffic AI features generate.
Until Google releases more detailed data, the discussion over whether AI Search helps or hurts website traffic is likely to continue.
