Google AI Overviews cut search clicks 42%: Report

Google’s AI Overviews could also be decreasing conventional search clicks, however publishers nonetheless have significant development alternatives in breaking information and Google Discover, in accordance with new knowledge from Outline Media Group.

• Natural search clicks have fallen 42% since AI Overviews started increasing in Google Search, in accordance with Outline Media Group’s evaluation of Google Search Console knowledge throughout its portfolio of 64 websites.

Why we care. AI-generated solutions are reshaping search visitors. Evergreen content material is dropping clicks, whereas real-time information protection and Uncover distribution are rising as stronger visitors channels for publishers.

By the numbers. Throughout Google Search, Uncover, and Google Information, breaking information visitors grew 103% from November 2024 by early 2026 within the firm’s dataset. Losses have been concentrated in informational and evergreen content material:

• Natural search visitors averaged 1.7 billion clicks per quarter from Q1 2023 by Q1 2024.
• After AI Overviews launched, visitors fell 16% instantly and by no means recovered.
• As Google expanded AI Overviews in Might 2025, declines accelerated.
• By This fall 2025, search visitors was down 42% from the pre-AI Overviews baseline.

Uncover’s position: Google Uncover, which grew 30% throughout the portfolio, is now the primary development engine for breaking information distribution. Uncover visitors rose steadily as net search visitors fell. For the primary time within the dataset, Uncover and net search now drive roughly equal visitors.

Why is that this occurring? AI Overviews seem much less usually for information queries than for different subjects. AI Overviews appeared for about 15% of reports queries — almost 3 times much less usually than in classes reminiscent of well being and science — in accordance with Ahrefs knowledge cited within the report.

• Information queries usually set off the High Tales carousel, which hyperlinks on to writer articles. Searches for main growing occasions, reminiscent of worldwide conflicts, usually present High Tales fairly than AI summaries.
• Outline Media Group suggests Google could also be avoiding AI-generated summaries for breaking information as a result of occasions change quickly, accuracy stakes are excessive, and generative methods can nonetheless hallucinate.

The report. BREAKING! News Thrives in the Age of AI