Short answer
A field experiment by Pennsylvania and Northeastern University researchers found that people whose searches were forced into Google's AI Mode clicked through to other websites much less often than people using regular Google Search. Participants also rated their trust in Google's information and their search satisfaction lower. The finding suggests brands and publishers should revisit their traffic planning.
Highlights
- The experiment tracked 1,100 US participants with a browser extension through a three-day baseline period and seven days of treatment.
- People routed to AI Mode clicked through to other websites 18.8 percentage points less often than people using regular Google Search.
- Participants used AI Mode for only 0.6% of their searches during the baseline period, so the study describes its setup as a 'forced, full-adoption' scenario.
- Google's search VP Liz Reid wrote in August 2025 that organic click volume from Search to websites had been 'relatively stable' year over year.
2 min readEditor-in-chief: Uğur Deniz İlhan
Google's AI-powered AI Mode is designed to keep users on the search results page, and a new field experiment shows what that means for traffic to other websites. According to Search Engine Journal, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Northeastern University tracked 1,100 US participants with a browser extension.
How was the experiment structured?
Participants first searched normally during a three-day baseline period, during which AI Mode was used in only 0.6% of their searches. Over the following seven days of treatment, one group had their searches forced into AI Mode. The researchers describe this setup as a 'forced, full-adoption scenario' — it doesn't measure today's average user behavior, but simulates a future where everyone has switched to AI Mode.
What do the numbers show?
Participants routed to AI Mode clicked through to other websites 18.8 percentage points less often than the group using regular Google Search. The same group also rated their trust in Google's information and their satisfaction with the search experience lower.
How does this compare with Google's own statement?
Google's search VP Liz Reid wrote in August 2025 that organic click volume from Search to websites had been 'relatively stable' year over year. The researchers note their study measures a different scenario — searches deliberately routed into AI Mode — so the result isn't a forecast for any single site's traffic, but an example of what full adoption could look like.
What does this mean for brands and publishers?
- Sites dependent on search traffic should factor a potential click-through decline into scenario planning as AI Mode adoption grows.
- Brand visibility should be measured not just by rankings, but by whether AI answers cite the brand accurately and currently — The Future of Search: Why AEO Doesn't Replace SEO but Enhances It covers this distinction in more depth.
- Investing in direct traffic, email, and in-app touchpoints that don't depend on Google reduces reliance on a single search channel.
Frequently asked
- Does this mean my traffic will drop today?
- Not directly. The experiment simulated forced, full adoption of AI Mode; today only a small share of users choose it. The finding points to a risk that could grow as adoption increases.
Sources
- Search Engine Journal ·
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