Despite concerns over declining website traffic, Google says its AI-powered Search features now drive billions of clicks to external sites each week. The company maintains that overall Search activity remains strong, even as zero-click searches rise.
Nick Fox, Senior Vice President at Google, stated this week that the company is "now sending billions of clicks to websites every week through AI features in Search alone." According to Fox, overall Google Search continues to deliver "billions of clicks to the web every day."
Fox addressed growing skepticism among publishers and site owners who have reported declining referral traffic from Google, often attributing the drop to the rollout of AI Overviews and AI Mode. In a LinkedIn post, Fox countered these claims, writing, "we're actually seeing the opposite." He emphasized that Search is not in decline and that AI-powered results are generating significant outbound traffic.
"Turns out, when people can ask whatever questions are on their minds, they use Google Search more than ever," Fox wrote. He reiterated that Google is not only seeing increased usage but is also sending more clicks to external websites.
Fox summarized the company's position with two key points: "We continue to send billions of clicks to the web every day through Search," and "We're now sending billions of clicks to websites every week through AI features in Search alone." He added, "and we're just getting started."
However, independent research paints a more complicated picture. A recent study found that zero-click searches-where users do not click through to any external site-reached 68% this year. Another report indicated that AI Overviews have reduced clicks by 42%. These findings suggest that, for many publishers, the impact of AI-driven search features may be more negative than Google's statements imply.
Google has repeatedly highlighted its efforts to support the open web, including the introduction of preferred sources, improvements to recipe links, and tweaks to how links appear within AI Overviews and AI Mode. Despite these changes, the company has not released detailed click data, even after launching AI performance reports in Google Search Console. Many in the industry are calling for greater transparency regarding the actual volume and distribution of referral traffic.
For those tracking the evolving relationship between AI and online traffic, the debate over Google's impact remains heated. The tension echoes broader questions about how AI is reshaping digital discovery and the flow of users across the web. For a deeper look at how AI is transforming commerce and online behavior, see this analysis of agent-driven shopping and automated checkout flows.
Founded in 1998, Google remains the dominant search engine globally, with an estimated 90% market share as of 2026. The company reported over 4.5 billion daily searches and employs more than 180,000 people worldwide. Its ongoing investments in AI and search innovation continue to shape how information is accessed and distributed online.
