Google Users Are Less Likely to Click on Links When an AI Summary Appears in the Results

Pew Research found Google users are less likely to click links when an AI-generated summary appears in search results. In March 2025, only 8% clicked links with AI summaries, compared to 15% without. Users often end sessions after seeing AI summaries, with 26% leaving entirely versus 16% on traditional results. Wikipedia, YouTube, and Reddit are the most cited sources in both formats. AI summaries are more common with longer searches, with 18% of searches generating them.

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/07/22/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results/