We’re seeing more and more claims that Google is 'dead' as a traffic source because of AI. But is that really the case? In this report, you’ll learn what our clients’ data reveals about actual (AI) traffic developments.
AI Traffic Report: Are Google clicks in decline because of ChatGPT & Co.?
Inhalt
In a nutshell: Moccu AI Traffic Report
- The report shows how AI platform traffic and Google traffic have developed since the second quarter of 2024.
- AI traffic has grown steadily, although that growth has slowed recently. On average, it accounts for only 1.19% of organic traffic.
- Google remains the most important traffic source, accounting for more than 90% of organic traffic.
- However, Google has also experienced a decline in organic traffic, mainly due to its own AI features: AI Overviews and AI Mode.
- Data basis: 50+ customer websites (B2C/B2B) from a wide range of industries and countries
Our contribution to the AI discourse – factual, transparent, data-driven
How many users access our clients' international websites via AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and CoPilot? And how does that compare with Google clicks?
We answer these questions below with detailed, transparent firsthand analysis data. Our goal is to counteract widespread claims like these (which we’ve seen far too often) using empirical evidence:
- »AI is growing rapidly, and SEO is dead!«
- »Google no longer generates clicks!«
- »You should only focus on GEO now!«
Our numbers paint a very different picture (spoiler alert):
- AI traffic growth is real, but SEO is alive and well.
- Because: Google remains the biggest traffic source by far.
- Consequently, 'GEO' isn’t possible without classic SEO.
In that sense, this report is our response to the increasingly alarmist headlines circulating for over two years. It also embodies our agency’s approach: At Moccu, we don't rely on vague assumptions or rumors. We work with data and facts, ideally from our own measurements.
That’s exactly what we’re sharing with you here. We’re confident this AI traffic report will help you understand and realistically evaluate traffic trends around AI and beyond.
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AI Traffic Share and development from Q2 2024 to the present
For the past 15 months, we have recorded organic traffic figures for more than 50 international customer websites (see the appendix for more information). This enables us to document two major trends:
- The AI Traffic Share (percentage of AI traffic in total organic traffic; see below) per quarter
- The quarterly growth of that AI Traffic Share
These metrics allow us to draw clear conclusions about what website operators can expect from AI traffic and where the GenAI trend seems to be headed. They also allow us to predict the potential impact on investments in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and SEO.
AI Traffic Share: Charts – history and growth from Q2 2024 to Q3 2025
AI traffic share over time – overall average (Ø) vs. median: First, we look at the development of AI traffic share over time from Q2 2024 to Q3 2025.
Our chart shows the increase in both the average and median values for comparison purposes (click to enlarge). All underlying measurements can be found in the table directly below.
| AI Traffic Share | Q2 ‘24 | Q3 ‘24 | Q4 ‘24 | Q1 ‘25 | Q2 ‘25 | Q3 ‘25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Average (Ø) of AI traffic share in total organic traffic |
0.014% |
0.05% |
0.23% |
0.59% |
0.89% |
1.19% |
|
Median of AI traffic share in total organic traffic |
0.001% |
0.01% |
0.05% |
0.15% |
0.24% |
0.49% |
Growth of the average AI Traffic Share over time – growth by quarter since Q3 2024: Our next chart shows the extent to which the average AI traffic share has grown from quarter to quarter (click to enlarge). All underlying measurements can also be found here in the accompanying table.
| AI Traffic Growth | Q3 ‘24 | Q4 ‘24 | Q2 ‘25 | Q2 ‘25 | Q3 ‘25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Percentage growth of Ø AI Traffic Share quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) |
271% |
360% |
157% |
51% |
33% |
|
Percentage growth of the median AI Traffic Share QoQ |
900% |
400% |
200% |
60% |
104% |
AI Traffic Share: Analysis – what the historical and growth figures tell us
- 'AI' as a traffic channel has been growing steadily for over a year now. Website operators should therefore take it seriously and track it closely.
- As a result, between Q2 2024 and Q3 2024, the absolute quarterly total of all AI sessions recorded grew by 115x.
- However, despite this strong growth, the overall percentage level remains low: the highest AI Traffic Share we measured – reached in Q3 2025 – is only 1.19% (median: 0.49%).
- In practical terms, this means that currently only about one in a hundred organic sessions comes from an AI source such as ChatGPT.
- In addition, the growth rate of the AI Traffic Share is slowing from quarter to quarter. After peaking at 360% in Q4 2024, growth fell to 33% in Q3 2025. Looking at the median AI Traffic Share, the decline is even more pronounced: from a peak of 900% in Q3 2024, only about one-ninth remains a year later – 104% in Q3 2025.
What we make of this: AI traffic has been growing for more than a year – but with one important caveat.
Given the sharp decline in the growth curve – which we also see reflected in absolute AI traffic numbers – we need to ask ourselves: Will growth continue to slow? Are we seeing early signs of saturation in AI adoption, or have we reached a 'systemic' ceiling for AI-driven clicks?
There is evidence pointing in both directions. For instance, with regard to ChatGPT alone, there have been reports of extremely low link click-through rates, declining downloads of the mobile app, and a slump in referral figures in July 2025. What shouldn't be forgotten either: In many cases, AI tools are not used like a traditional search engine, but rather for things like creating, brainstorming, or planning.
In short, the data suggests that, even with GEO, significant traffic gains from AI platforms are unlikely in the foreseeable future if this trend continues.
AI Traffic Share: two exemplary forecasts
To better understand this assessment, we calculated two possible forecasts for the AI Traffic Share based on our data.
Two different growth forecasts for the average AI Traffic Share based on our historical data: linear/optimistic vs. further slowdown/pessimistic
Assuming linear growth based on the most recent quarter-on-quarter growth (33%, Q3 ‘25) yields an optimistic scenario of a 3.89% AI Traffic Share in Q4 2027, while assuming continued growth at the same rate of growth decline (avg. -50% QoQ) yields a pessimistic scenario of a 1.69% AI Traffic Share in the same quarter.
Meaning that even if we are optimistic, that would be a meager figure.
Taken together, our historical and forecast data clearly indicate that the primary focus of AI optimization should be on visibility in generated responses (mentions and citations), rather than generating website visits.
Google counter-check: The search engine’s traffic for comparison
Examining AI traffic in isolation can lead to hasty conclusions and it never tells the full story. That's why we also examine how Google's share of organic traffic has developed over time.
For decades, Google has been the most important source of traffic (and therefore a core driver of conversions) for our clients and for millions of websites worldwide. Therefore, we consider it crucial to compare Google's traffic share with that of AI. Only by doing so can we get closer to answering the key question: Is it still worth optimizing for Google’s search results?
Google Traffic Share: Charts – history from Q2 2024 to today
Google Traffic Share over time – overall average (Ø) vs. median:
The chart shows how the average Google traffic share has developed from quarter to quarter (click to enlarge). All underlying measurements can also be found in the table below.
|
Google Traffic Share |
Q2 ‘24 | Q3 ‘24 | Q4 ‘24 | Q1 ‘25 | Q2 ‘25 | Q3 ‘25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ø Google traffic share in total organic traffic |
91.85% |
92.81% |
93.17% |
93.57% |
92.81% |
91.99% |
|
Median Google traffic share in total organic traffic |
95.24% |
95.39% |
95.25% |
95.25% |
95.04% |
92.90% |
Traffic share Google vs. Bing vs. AI over time – overall averages (Ø)
Traffic share Google vs. Bing vs. AI over time – overall averages (Ø)
In this chart, we compare the average traffic share we measured for Google, Bing, and AI tools for each quarter to provide a better understanding of the overall context (click to enlarge). All underlying measurements can also be found here in the accompanying table.
|
Traffic share by platform |
Q2 ‘24 | Q3 ‘24 | Q4 ‘24 | Q1 ‘25 | Q2 ‘25 | Q3 ‘25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
91.85% |
92.81% |
93.17% |
93.57% |
92.81% |
91.99% |
|
Bing |
3.42% |
3.42% |
3.50% |
3.57% |
4.35% |
4.49% |
|
AI |
0.014% |
0.014% |
0.23% |
0.59% |
0.89% |
1.19% |
Google Traffic Share: Analysis – what the quarterly figures tell us
- The figures we measure for Google's organic traffic share speak for themselves. Google continues to drive the majority of all actual website visits.
- To be honest, we were somewhat surprised by how little has changed over the past 12 months. The search engine's organic traffic share has consistently remained above 91%, with the median remaining above 95% in all quarters except Q3 of 2025.
- Google's dominance becomes even more evident when we overlay three key traffic share curves. Google remains above 91%, Bing hovers around 3.5%, and AI 'peaks' at 1%. This confirms that thus far, the search market has not been redistributed whatsoever.
What we make of this: Google's organic traffic development allows for only one interpretation within our dataset. Google remains the dominant channel for generating organic website clicks in significant numbers.
None of our data suggests a mass shift from Google to AI or a sudden 'click exodus' from Google’s results pages. Based on what we observe with our customers, AI search is positioning itself as an additional acquisition channel – one that operates alongside a still largely stable Google.
Google traffic and Google's AI features: important additions for more context
Even though Google’s traffic share has remained above 90%, it is doubtful that this stability will hold in the long term. Interestingly, the reason for this is Google itself, or more precisely, its own AI initiatives: AI Overviews (AIOs) and Google AI Mode. These features pose a greater threat to Google’s traffic acquisition than any external competitor has so far, mainly because of their negative impact on search result click-through rates (CTRs).
Multiple studies have demonstrated that AIOs and AI Mode can measurably reduce organic traffic, as their goal is to provide direct answers that do not require further source verification, and we have observed this firsthand on several of our clients’ URLs. There is also growing evidence that internet users are generally clicking on fewer links than before, regardless of which search engine they use.
The bottom line: Traffic from Google products remains a massive driver. However, it is likely to decrease overall. That said, it certainly won't disappear completely 'overnight,' nor will it decline evenly across all URLs or a complete set of keywords.
How important is AI traffic, and is AI the 'Google killer'? Our conclusion
All statements in this report are based on limited data from more than 50 of our clients’ websites. We therefore draw our conclusions with appropriate caution. That said, we believe our empirical approach allows for clear and meaningful insights.
1. AI brings some traffic growth, but it is no substitute for Google
Our data from the last five quarters shows that GenAI's traffic potential is steadily increasing, led by ChatGPT. Nevertheless, Google remains the most important source of organic traffic.
On average, Google maintains an organic traffic share of more than 90% each quarter. In comparison, the highest AI traffic share we have measured is 1.19% on average (Q3 2025). In absolute terms, Google delivers 335 times more traffic than all AI tools combined.
So no – Google is not 'dead'! Google remains the most important organic acquisition channel in digital marketing, which means that SEO will likely continue to be the foundation of sustainable visibility.
2. AI traffic growth is slowing down, so we should not expect major traffic gains from AI tools
We are seeing sharply flattening growth curves in both relative and absolute AI traffic. Growth momentum has slowed significantly since Q4 2024. For example, the 360% peak in Q4 2024 contrasts with only 33% growth in the most recent quarter (Q3 2025).
This suggests we may be approaching an upper limit for AI-driven traffic. If this trend continues, only modest traffic increases from AI platforms are likely in the future. Therefore, investing in Generative Engine Optimization would mean focusing more on AI visibility than on AI traffic.
3. Paradox: The biggest threat to Google traffic seems to be Google itself, not AI?
Despite Google's continued dominance, we are seeing declining traffic figures for many of our customers. Even top rankings on Google no longer drive as much traffic to our clients' websites as they used to. The reason is not AI platforms taking market share, but rather Google’s own AI features.
Google's new search features, AI Overviews (AIO) and AI Mode, have the potential to reduce the CTR of traditional search results. This brings us to the actual turning point in the area of organic traffic generation: We can still drive thousands of visitors to websites, but for certain topics, Google's traffic numbers will decline – and these losses will not be offset by AI.
For a sustainable marketing strategy, this means...
- As website visitors become more valuable, top-3 rankings and conversion rate optimization become absolutely central.
- Visibility in AI tools matters, but generating traffic through search engines is still a key objective.
- If you want to generate organic traffic, Google is – and will continue to be – your central pillar.
- A strategic mix of content, performance, brand, and design works for both search and AI environments.
- Digital PR, social media, and paid advertising are becoming increasingly important supplementary channels.
- However: Every industry and website is different. Collecting and evaluating your own data is key!
… does that sound like a lot of work? Get in touch – we’ll help you assess your potential.
FAQ: additional AI traffic knowledge based on our data
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By now, yes. In the very beginning, however, we saw no reportable differences in AI traffic between B2B and B2C. Although the relative AI Traffic Share for B2B was already higher in our domain set from the first quarter analyzed (Q2 2024) onward, the deviations in absolute B2B and B2C traffic figures were too small to make reliable statements.
Since the first quarter of 2025, the absolute numbers have become large enough to justify paying close attention to the relative differences between B2B and B2C. And the widening gap is now clearly visible: as of Q3 2025, the AI Traffic Share for B2B is seven times higher than for B2C – avg. 2.00% vs. 0.30%.
In other words: B2B websites can generally expect to receive more AI traffic than B2C websites.
A plausible explanation is that B2B target groups interact more actively with GenAI tools than typical end users. Their preferred tools also differ: while ChatGPT clearly dominates the B2C segment, B2B AI sessions are more evenly distributed across Claude, Mistral, and Perplexity. A side note: since several of the B2B sites we track come from the developer space, it makes intuitive sense that developers in particular value Claude as an AI assistant.
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No, we don't see any significant differences.
Our clients operate across a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, energy, and technology. This allows us to compare AI traffic developments across sectors.
Overall, we see similar patterns everywhere. For our websites, broken down by industry, the same applies for the entire domain set: regardless of the sector, AI traffic grew strongly between Q3 2024 and Q1 2025 and has recently started to level off.
Other cross-industry trends:
- Google remains exceptionally stable as a source of organic traffic.
- ChatGPT delivers the highest volume of AI traffic in nearly all industries, with two exceptions: Claude leads in developer-related fields, while Perplexity leads in medical contexts.
- And there’s a simple but telling correlation: websites that already attracted a high number of organic visitors before the AI era also tend to generate more traffic from AI sources today. In our view, this finding strongly supports both brand building and classic SEO.
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Tracking the right KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) remains absolutely essential. Whether SEO KPIs or UX KPIs, we work closely with our clients to define which metrics truly reflect success. Two values are almost always part of that: traffic and conversions.
But are KPIs such as traffic and conversions still relevant? After all, AI tools with low click rates are becoming an integral part of online research. At the same time, Google is generating fewer organic clicks than it used to because of AIO and similar technologies (see above).
Nevertheless, our answer is still: yes! Traffic and conversions remain the most reliable indicators of ROI and success for the one platform that matters economically and that brands fully control – their own website. This applies just as much to AI traffic as it does to Google traffic, because incoming users are proof that we are being found in AI tools and that interest has been triggered there. (Not to mention the many additional insights we can gain from traffic values – something we hope this study clearly demonstrates ;-))
However, we are also tasked with expanding our traditional KPI sets to include new metrics. Only then can we regain something close to a complete picture of our cross-channel performance – including GenAI. In the future, brands should be able to assess how visible they are in chatbot prompts and responses (AI Prompt Tracking). Metrics such as mentions, share of voice, brand search volume, and sentiment may also grow in importance.
In short: we need complementary values that help us better classify our digital presence in comparison with competitors. Identifying the right KPIs for this purpose is likely to become an important task for many brands.
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Of course! If you’re interested in exploring additional perspectives, we recommend the following further reading on AI traffic developments:
- AI vs Search Traffic Analysis by AHREFS (updated monthly)
- The 2026 AEO / GEO Benchmarks Report by Conductor (as of 12.11.2025)
- AIO Impact on Google CTR ... by seer interactive (as of 04.11.2025)
- LLM traffic is shrinking by Growth Memo (Kevin Indig) (as of 03.11.2025)
- How People Search Today: A Study … by highervisibility (as of 28.08.2025)
- Which platforms lead in AI traffic ... by SE Ranking (as of 27.08.2025)
- 20% of Americans use AI tools 10X+/month, but … by SparkToro (as of 26.08.2025)
(All data in this report is current as of December 2025)
Interested in AI traffic analysis? Certainly!
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