--- title: "AI Search Statistics 2026: What the Studies Say" description: AI search statistics for 2026 from the original studies on AI Overviews, zero-click search, ChatGPT and B2B buyers, with every figure linked to its source. image: https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-share-1200x630.png --- [![Fine\_Media\_logo\_Set\_HubSpot Website Logo Stacked](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Fine_Media_logo_Set_HubSpot%20Website%20Logo%20Stacked.svg "Fine_Media_logo_Set_HubSpot Website Logo Stacked")](https://www.finemediabw.com/) - Solutions - [Inbound Marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/inbound-marketing) - [Website Design](https://www.finemediabw.com/website-design-and-development) - [Sales Enablement](https://www.finemediabw.com/sales-enablement) - [Customer Success](https://www.finemediabw.com/customer-success) - [HubSpot Services](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubspot-services) - [Insights](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog) - [About](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us) Show submenu for About - [About us](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us) - [Meet the Team](https://www.finemediabw.com/our-team) - [Our Story](https://www.finemediabw.com/our-story) - Solutions - [Inbound Marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/inbound-marketing) - [Website Design](https://www.finemediabw.com/website-design-and-development) - [Sales Enablement](https://www.finemediabw.com/sales-enablement) - [Customer Success](https://www.finemediabw.com/customer-success) - [HubSpot Services](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubspot-services) - [Insights](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog) - [About](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us) Show submenu for About - [About us](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us) - [Meet the Team](https://www.finemediabw.com/our-team) - [Our Story](https://www.finemediabw.com/our-story) - [Contact us](https://www.finemediabw.com/contact) - [Contact us](https://www.finemediabw.com/contact) ![AI Search Statistics 2026: What the Original Studies Say About AEO. White and dark type on a slate ground with a large Propello mark behind it, Propello.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-share-1200x630.png) Oct 4, 2026, 4:20:05 PM | [AEO & AI Search](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/tag/aeo-ai-search) # AI Search Statistics 2026: What the Original Studies Say About AEO AI search statistics for 2026 from the original studies on AI Overviews, zero-click search, ChatGPT and B2B buyers, with every figure linked to its source. Share - [mailto:?&subject=AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026:%20What%20the%20Original%20Studies%20Say%20About%20AEO&body=AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026:%20What%20the%20Original%20Studies%20Say%20About%20AEO%0A(https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finemediabw.com%2Fblog%2Fai-search-statistics)](mailto:?&subject=AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026:%20What%20the%20Original%20Studies%20Say%20About%20AEO&body=AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026:%20What%20the%20Original%20Studies%20Say%20About%20AEO%0A(https%3A%2F%2Fwww.finemediabw.com%2Fblog%2Fai-search-statistics)) - - - Last checked 4 October 2026 · 36 sources · every figure opened at its original publisher · [See all sources](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-sources) AI search statistics show a clear pattern for B2B revenue teams: buyers get answers from AI systems first, click fewer links in some places, and often arrive with a shortlist. Every figure below was opened on 4 October 2026 at the publisher's own page, and any study we could not open is left out. This guide is for CEOs, founders and CROs who want the numbers behind AEO, which the wider market calls answer engine optimization. You get 45 figures in seven themes, each with publisher, year and sample, then what it means for your revenue team. Our guide to [AI Engine Optimization (AEO)](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ultimate-guide-ai-engine-optimization) covers what to do next.   | **AI Search Statistics** AI search statistics are measurements, from surveys, clickstream panels and citation studies, of how people use AI engines to find answers, what they click and which pages those engines cite. | | --- | ## Key findings [8% vs 15%People click a search result about half as often when an AI summary appears.Pew Research Center, 2025 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-zero-click-searches)[58.5%Of US Google searches already ended without a click before AI summaries.SparkToro, 2024 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-zero-click-searches)[42%Of CRM buyers used AI search during their evaluation.HubSpot, 2026 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-b2b-buyers-and-ai-search)[94%Of business buyers now use AI somewhere in buying.Forrester, 2025 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-b2b-buyers-and-ai-search)[37.9%Of URLs cited in AI Overviews also rank in Google's top 10.Ahrefs, 2026 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-what-ai-engines-cite)[45%Of marketers name budget as the biggest barrier to AEO.Acquia, 2025 · See the evidence](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-marketer-readiness) [Adoption 9](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-ai-search-statistics-on-adoption)[Zero-click 10](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-zero-click-searches)[AI Overviews 7](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-google-ai-overviews-statistics)[B2B buyers 7](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-b2b-buyers-and-ai-search)[What gets cited 7](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-what-ai-engines-cite)[Technical 6](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-structured-data-and-technical-foundations)[Readiness 3](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics#stats-marketer-readiness) ## AI search statistics on adoption: ChatGPT users and Google AI keep growing ChatGPT users and users of Google AI features now number in the billions, and unlike a ranked list of links, these AI systems build one answer from multiple sources. 44% [Pew Research Center](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/americans-and-ai-2026-chatbots-smart-devices-and-views-on-impact/) surveyed 5,119 US adults in February 2026 and found 44% use ChatGPT, up from 34% a year earlier. In that same [Pew survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/americans-and-ai-2026-chatbots-smart-devices-and-views-on-impact/), about four in ten US adults said they use chatbots to search for information. 1 billion ChatGPT serves more than 1 billion weekly active users, [OpenAI said in August 2026](https://openai.com/index/expanding-access-to-ai-with-chatgpt-ads/), up from more than [900 million in February](https://openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone/), and it now runs an advertising-supported free tier. 70% An [OpenAI study](https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/) of 1.5 million consumer conversations, published in September 2025, found about 70% of usage was non-work and about 30% was work-related. 2026, At Google I/O in May 2026, [Google reported](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/sundar-pichai-io-2026/) that AI Overviews has over 2.5 billion monthly active users and that AI Mode has passed 1 billion. [Google said in March 2025](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ai-personalization-and-the-future-of-shopping/) that it already sees more than 5 trillion searches on Google annually. 89.94% [Statcounter](https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share) recorded Google at 89.94% of worldwide search engine market share in September 2026, with Bing at 5.29%, so traditional search still carries most queries. 70% [Similarweb](https://aisearch.similarweb.com/blog/gen-ai-stats/) measured average monthly web visits to generative AI platforms up 70% year over year, to 9.5 billion, between June 2025 and May 2026. 13.9% [Profound](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/commercial-conversations-in-chatgpt-more-than-doubled-in-a-year) found the share of ChatGPT conversations with commercial intent rose from 13.9% to 19.2% between June 2025 and June 2026, in a sample of 7.5 million conversations. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** Your buyers already use AI tools and AI chatbots for research, and your website is one of several places they meet your category. Plan for AI search as a live channel, track AI visibility next to rankings, and ask sales how often prospects mention an AI answer. ## Zero click searches: most Google searches already end without a click The data shows most Google searches ended without a click to the open web before AI summaries arrived, and the evidence on whether AI summaries make that worse is mixed. ![Two horizontal bars on one scale from zero showing the share of Google search visits in which people clicked a traditional search result. Visits with an AI summary: 8%. Visits without an AI summary: 15%. Source: Pew Research Center, 68,879 Google searches by 900 US adults, March 2025.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-pew-click-gap-blog-1600x900.png?width=1600&height=900&name=ai-search-statistics-pew-click-gap-blog-1600x900.png) 8% [Pew Research Center](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/) tracked 68,879 Google searches by 900 US adults in March 2025; people clicked a traditional result in 8% of visits with an AI summary. 15% In the same [Pew study](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/), people clicked a traditional result in 15% of visits when no AI summary appeared. 1% Only 1% of visits to pages with an AI summary included a click on a link inside the summary, [Pew found](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/). 26% [Pew](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/) also found the browsing session ended on 26% of pages with an AI summary, against 16% of pages with only traditional results. 58.5% [SparkToro](https://sparktoro.com/blog/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360/), using Datos clickstream data from September 2022 to May 2024, found 58.5% of US and 59.7% of EU Google searches ended with zero clicks. 360 In the same [SparkToro study](https://sparktoro.com/blog/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360/), only 360 of every 1,000 US Google searches sent a click to the open web. Google's Liz Reid wrote in August 2025 that total organic click volume from Google Search to websites has been [relatively stable year over year](https://blog.google/products/search/ai-search-driving-more-queries-higher-quality-clicks/). 33.75% [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/) analyzed more than 10 million keywords in 2025 and found the zero-click rate for the same keywords fell from 33.75% to 31.53% after AI Overviews appeared. 34% [Chartbeat](https://chartbeat.com/resources/articles/pageviews-down-ai-impact/) measured Google Search pageviews to news and media sites falling 34% between December 2024 and December 2025. 200% In the same [Chartbeat data](https://chartbeat.com/resources/articles/pageviews-down-ai-impact/), ChatGPT referral traffic grew more than 200% year over year, yet AI chatbots still account for less than 1% of total pageviews. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** Zero click searches are the norm in traditional search, so organic traffic alone understates how often people see you. Report impressions, branded search and sales-call mentions beside sessions, track AI referral traffic separately, and watch how search behavior changes in your own Search Console data. ## Google AI Overviews statistics: how often they appear and what they do to clicks Google AI Overviews pull an answer together from multiple sources, appear on a minority of queries, far more often on long, informational ones, and the click studies disagree on how much they cost on the search results page. 58% [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/) compared 300,000 keywords, half with an AI Overview, and found an AI Overview correlates with a 58% lower average click-through rate for the top-ranking page. 35% [Seer Interactive](https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-ctr-september-2025-update) tracked 3,119 search terms across 42 organizations and found cited pages got 35% more organic clicks and 91% more paid clicks than uncited ones. 6.49% [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/) found AI Overviews appeared for 6.49% of keywords in January 2025, nearly 25% in July and 15.69% in November, across more than 10 million keywords. 18% [Pew](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/) found 18% of Google searches in its study produced an AI summary, rising from 8% of one- or two-word searches to 53% of searches of ten words or more. 10% Google said in July 2025 that AI Overviews is [driving over 10% more queries](https://blog.google/company-news/inside-google/message-ceo/alphabet-earnings-q2-2025/) for the query types that show them, and that overall queries kept growing year over year. 88% [Pew](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/) found 88% of AI summaries cited three or more sources, and only 1% cited a single source. 92% [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/blog/ai-mode-comparison-study/) analyzed 5,000 keywords in 2025: 92% of AI Mode responses showed a sidebar of about seven domains, with 51% domain overlap and 32% URL overlap with Google's top 10. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** Google AI Overviews are uneven, so the click studies conflict. Sort your pages by informational queries and higher intent buying queries before acting on any average. Being cited looks helpful, though Seer says its data cannot prove citation causes the extra clicks. ## B2B buyers and AI search: AI answers now shape the shortlist Surveys of B2B buyers agree that AI is now part of research, and that people still check what it tells them. ![How a B2B buyer uses AI search, in four steps. 1. Get an AI answer. 2. Build a shortlist. 3. Check it with a sales rep. 4. Make contact.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-buyer-ai-path-blog-1600x900.png?width=1600&height=900&name=ai-search-statistics-buyer-ai-path-blog-1600x900.png) 42% [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com/company-news/aeo-data-buyers-using-ai-search-more-likely-to-purchase) surveyed more than 3,000 CRM purchase decision-makers worldwide in January 2026; 42% used AI search during their evaluation. 36% [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com/company-news/aeo-data-buyers-using-ai-search-more-likely-to-purchase) reported that those buyers were 36% more likely to purchase than buyers who did not use AI search, citing its own NPS data. 94% [Forrester](https://www.forrester.com/blogs/b2b_buyers_make_zero_click_buying_number_one/) reports that 94% of business buyers now use AI in buying, up five percentage points from 89% a year earlier, in its Buyers' Journey Survey 2025. 45% [Gartner](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-05-20-gartner-survey-finds-sixty-nine-percent-of-b-two-b-buyers-turn-to-sales-reps-to-validate-ai-generated-insights) surveyed 645 B2B buyers in August and September 2025; 45% said they used generative AI, and 69% prefer to validate AI-generated insights with sales reps. 51% [G2](https://company.g2.com/news/g2-research-the-answer-economy) surveyed 1,076 B2B software buyers in March 2026: 51% now start research with an AI chatbot more often than with Google, up from 29% in its 2025 report. 85% In the same [G2 survey](https://company.g2.com/news/g2-research-the-answer-economy), 85% of buyers think more highly of a vendor when AI includes it in an answer, and 69% chose a different vendor than planned because of a chatbot recommendation. 63% [TrustRadius](https://hginsights.com/news/trustradius-2026-b2b-buying-disconnect-report-reveals-ai-has-changed-how-buyers-research-but-not-what-they-trust/) surveyed 1,862 technology buyers in January 2026; 63% used AI during their purchase journey, and 94% of those fact-check its responses at least some of the time. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** AI now sits inside buyer decision making: buyers build a list with it, then check it. Make sure your pages, reviews and profiles describe what you do plainly, and prepare reps to confirm what an AI answer told the buyer. ## What AI engines cite: citation share moves fast and does not track rankings closely Citations change quickly, and studies disagree on how closely they follow classic rankings because they measure different things. ![What happens to a cited page, in four steps. 1. A page is cited. 2. Its citation share peaks. 3. Half of it is gone within 11 days for the median page. 4. Check citation share on a schedule. Source: Profound, 2026.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-citation-half-life-blog-1600x900.png?width=1600&height=900&name=ai-search-statistics-citation-half-life-blog-1600x900.png) 37.9% [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overview-citations-top-10/) analyzed 863,000 keyword SERPs in 2026 and found 37.9% of URLs cited in AI Overviews also appeared in the top 10, down from about 76% in July 2025. 32.3% [BrightEdge](https://www.brightedge.com/resources/weekly-ai-search-insights/rank-overlap-after-16-months-of-aio) measured overlap between AI Overview citations and organic rankings rising from 32.3% to 54.5% across nine industries between May 2024 and September 2025. 60% [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/blog/most-cited-domains-ai/) studied 230,000 prompts weekly for 13 weeks in 2025: ChatGPT cited Reddit in close to 60% of responses in early August and about 10% by mid-September. 11 [Profound](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/the-half-life-of-an-ai-citation-is-11-days) found the median page loses half its citation share within 11 days of peaking, across 883,000 pages and seven engines over twelve months. 57% [Profound](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/where-do-ai-citations-come-from) found roughly 57% of 11.84 billion citations, swept from April to July 2026 across eight models, pointed to brand sites: 69% on Gemini and 47% on ChatGPT. [Google's documentation](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says a page must be indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet to appear as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode. [Bing Webmaster Tools](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/2026/2/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview/) added an AI Performance report in public preview in February 2026 that shows how often a site's content is cited in generative answers. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** The practical implication is that citation share is volatile, so one snapshot proves little. Track your buyers' questions on a schedule. Pages that name their author and cite authoritative sources give AI systems more to use, but no study here shows a tactic that guarantees a citation. ## Structured data and technical foundations: widely used, but not a lever Google asks for Structured data is common and growing, but Google's own guidance says no special markup or file is needed to appear in its AI features. 41% The [Web Almanac 2024](https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2024/structured-data) from HTTP Archive found JSON-LD on 41% of pages, up from 34% in 2022. [Google Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add, and no new machine-readable files or markup, to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. [Google's 2026 guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide) says that for Google Search you can ignore tactics such as chunking content or creating unnecessary AI text files like llms.txt. 2.13% The [Web Almanac 2025](https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2025/seo) found llms.txt files on 2.13% of desktop sites and 2.10% of mobile sites crawled. 28% [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/llmstxt-study/) found 28% of 137,000 domains using its web analytics publish llms.txt, and 97% of those files received zero traffic in May 2026. 40% [Aggarwal and colleagues](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735) reported at KDD 2024 that generative engine optimization methods can lift visibility in generative engine responses by up to 40% on their 10,000-query benchmark. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** Keep schema markup accurate for the features it supports, and do not expect it to buy an AI citation. The two llms.txt figures use different samples, so do not set them side by side. Put the effort into a clear heading hierarchy, direct answers and indexable pages. ## Marketer readiness: most teams expect AEO to matter and few have started Marketing teams expect AEO to matter and few have started, with budget and skills named as the main blockers. 70% [Acquia](https://www.acquia.com/newsroom/press-releases/survey-70-say-aeo-will-reshape-digital-strategy-only-20-have-started) surveyed 516 US and UK marketers in July 2025: 70% agree AEO will significantly reshape digital strategy, yet only 20% have begun implementing it. 45% In that [Acquia survey](https://www.acquia.com/newsroom/press-releases/survey-70-say-aeo-will-reshape-digital-strategy-only-20-have-started), 45% named budget constraints as the biggest barrier to an AEO strategy and 40% named lack of internal expertise. 62% [Acquia](https://www.acquia.com/newsroom/press-releases/survey-70-say-aeo-will-reshape-digital-strategy-only-20-have-started) also found 62% of respondents had seen a decline in clicks or web traffic from search engines, though only 39% could show the percentage decline. **What this means for a B2B revenue team:** The gap is about ownership and measurement as much as knowledge. Marketing leaders should decide who owns AI visibility, set a baseline from Google Search Console and your HubSpot reports, and write down what you can and cannot measure. That data gap is where most teams start. ## What to do with these AI search statistics The key statistics agree on direction, not on size. The data shows buyers use AI search, clicks to websites are under pressure in some places and stable in others, and citations move quickly. Treat each number as a scoped measurement, check your own AI visibility against it, and revisit it as new studies appear. [Learn the full methodThe Ultimate Guide to AI Engine Optimization covers what to fix and how to measure it.](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ultimate-guide-ai-engine-optimization)[Decide where AEO fitsAEO vs SEO explains what differs and how to run one program for both.](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/aeo-vs-seo)[Start with your pagesHow to optimize content for AI search walks through the page-level changes.](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-optimize-content-for-ai-search) Propello designs and builds connected GTM systems on HubSpot. If you want to know where AI search shows up in your own pipeline, an audit is the place to start. [Book a Propello GTM Audit](https://www.finemediabw.com/contact) ## Where every figure comes from Every source below was opened on 4 October 2026. Each figure on this page links to the page it came from. All 36 sources, with publisher, date and sample 1. [Pew Research Center, Americans and AI 2026: Chatbots, Smart Devices and Views on Impact, 17 Jun 2026](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/06/17/americans-and-ai-2026-chatbots-smart-devices-and-views-on-impact/) (5,119 US adults, 17 to 23 Feb 2026, American Trends Panel) 2. [OpenAI, A milestone in expanding access to AI, 31 Aug 2026](https://openai.com/index/expanding-access-to-ai-with-chatgpt-ads/) (OpenAI statement, no method) 3. [OpenAI, Scaling AI for everyone, 27 Feb 2026](https://openai.com/index/scaling-ai-for-everyone/) (OpenAI statement) 4. [OpenAI, How people are using ChatGPT, 15 Sep 2025](https://openai.com/index/how-people-are-using-chatgpt/) (Consumer plans only) 5. [Google, Sundar Pichai I/O 2026 keynote, 19 May 2026](https://blog.google/innovation-and-ai/sundar-pichai-io-2026/) (Google statement) 6. [Google, AI, personalization and the future of shopping, 3 Mar 2025](https://blog.google/products/ads-commerce/ai-personalization-and-the-future-of-shopping/) (Google statement) 7. [Statcounter Global Stats, Search Engine Market Share Worldwide, Sept 2026](https://gs.statcounter.com/search-engine-market-share) (Worldwide, all platforms) 8. [Similarweb, AI Search Stats in 2026, 29 Jul 2026](https://aisearch.similarweb.com/blog/gen-ai-stats/) (Similarweb worldwide panel, web visits) 9. [Profound, Commercial conversations in ChatGPT more than doubled in a year, 13 Aug 2026](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/commercial-conversations-in-chatgpt-more-than-doubled-in-a-year) (7.5 million ChatGPT conversations) 10. [Pew, Google users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, 22 Jul 2025](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/) (68,879 unique Google searches, 900 US adults, March 2025) 11. [SparkToro (Rand Fishkin), 2024 Zero-Click Search Study, 2 Jul 2024](https://sparktoro.com/blog/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360/) (Datos clickstream panel, Sept 2022 to May 2024 (mobile Jan to May 2024 only)) 12. [Google (Liz Reid), AI in Search: Driving more queries and higher quality clicks, 6 Aug 2025](https://blog.google/products/search/ai-search-driving-more-queries-higher-quality-clicks/) (Google statement, no figures) 13. [Semrush, AI Overviews study (refreshed 15 Dec 2025)](https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/) (10M+ keywords, Semrush database and Datos clickstream, Jan to Nov 2025) 14. [Chartbeat, Pageviews are down, but AI's impact is complicated, 5 Jun 2026](https://chartbeat.com/resources/articles/pageviews-down-ai-impact/) (Chartbeat network of news and media sites, no n stated) 15. [Ahrefs, Update: AI Overviews Reduce Clicks by 58%, 4 Feb 2026](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/) (300,000 keywords (150,000 with AI Overview, 150,000 informational without), Search Console data, Dec 2025) 16. [Seer Interactive, AIO Impact on Google CTR: September 2025 Update, 4 Nov 2025](https://www.seerinteractive.com/insights/aio-impact-on-google-ctr-september-2025-update) (3,119 search terms, 42 client organizations) 17. [Google (Sundar Pichai), Q2 2025 earnings remarks, 23 Jul 2025](https://blog.google/company-news/inside-google/message-ceo/alphabet-earnings-q2-2025/) (Google statement) 18. [Semrush, How Google's AI Mode Compares to Traditional Search and Other LLMs, 21 Jul 2025](https://www.semrush.com/blog/ai-mode-comparison-study/) (5,000 keywords, 150,000+ citations, desktop) 19. [HubSpot, AEO data: Buyers using AI search are more likely to purchase (page dated 15 Sep 2026; survey Jan 2026)](https://www.hubspot.com/company-news/aeo-data-buyers-using-ai-search-more-likely-to-purchase) (3,000+, worldwide, Jan 2026; no countries listed) 20. [Forrester, B2B Buyers Make Zero-Click Buying Number One, 22 Jan 2026](https://www.forrester.com/blogs/b2b_buyers_make_zero_click_buying_number_one/) (Buyers' Journey Survey 2025; blog states no n) 21. [Gartner press release, 20 May 2026](https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2026-05-20-gartner-survey-finds-sixty-nine-percent-of-b-two-b-buyers-turn-to-sales-reps-to-validate-ai-generated-insights) (n=645, Aug to Sep 2025) 22. [G2, In the Answer Economy, Don't Win the Click, 15 Apr 2026](https://company.g2.com/news/g2-research-the-answer-economy) (n=1,076, Mar 2026) 23. [TrustRadius (HG Insights), 2026 B2B Buying Disconnect Report, 15 Jul 2026](https://hginsights.com/news/trustradius-2026-b2b-buying-disconnect-report-reveals-ai-has-changed-how-buyers-research-but-not-what-they-trust/) (Global survey, Jan 2026) 24. [Ahrefs, Update: 38% of AI Overview Citations Pull From The Top 10, 2 Mar 2026](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overview-citations-top-10/) (863K SERPs, 4M AI Overview URLs, Ahrefs Brand Radar) 25. [BrightEdge, AI Overview Citations Now 54% from Organic Rankings, 18 Sep 2025](https://www.brightedge.com/resources/weekly-ai-search-insights/rank-overlap-after-16-months-of-aio) (9 industries, May 2024 to Sep 2025) 26. [Semrush, The Most-Cited Domains in AI: A 3-Month Study, 10 Nov 2025](https://www.semrush.com/blog/most-cited-domains-ai/) (13 weekly snapshots, 14 Jul to 12 Oct 2025, 100M+ citations) 27. [Profound, The half-life of an AI citation is 11 days, 30 Sep 2026](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/the-half-life-of-an-ai-citation-is-11-days) (12 months to 8 Sep 2026; Profound's own platform) 28. [Profound, Where do AI citations come from?, 30 Jul 2026](https://www.tryprofound.com/blog/where-do-ai-citations-come-from) (8 models, 8,061 Profound categories) 29. [Google Search Central, AI features and your website (updated 10 Dec 2025)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) (Official documentation) 30. [Bing Search Blog, Introducing AI Performance in Bing Webmaster Tools Public Preview, 10 Feb 2026](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/2026/2/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview/) (Official product post) 31. [HTTP Archive, Web Almanac 2024, Structured data chapter, 11 Nov 2024](https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2024/structured-data) (HTTP Archive crawl; chapter text gives no page count (chart alt text shows other desktop-only values; prose figure used)) 32. [Google Search Central, Google's Guide to Optimizing for Generative AI Features on Google Search (updated 10 Jul 2026)](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide) (Official guide) 33. [HTTP Archive, Web Almanac 2025, SEO chapter (published 15 Jan 2026)](https://almanac.httparchive.org/en/2025/seo) (HTTP Archive crawl) 34. [Ahrefs, We Analyzed 137K Sites: 97% of llms.txt Files Never Get Read, 15 Jun 2026](https://ahrefs.com/blog/llmstxt-study/) (Ahrefs Web Analytics users only) 35. [Aggarwal, Murahari, Rajpurohit, Kalyan, Narasimhan, Deshpande, GEO: Generative Engine Optimization, KDD 2024 (arXiv 2311.09735)](https://arxiv.org/abs/2311.09735) (Authors' own benchmark) 36. [Acquia (Researchscape survey), Survey: 70% Say AEO Will Reshape Digital Strategy, 24 Sep 2025](https://www.acquia.com/newsroom/press-releases/survey-70-say-aeo-will-reshape-digital-strategy-only-20-have-started) (n=516, US and UK, Jul 2025) ## Frequently asked questions What percent of Google searches are zero click? [SparkToro's](https://sparktoro.com/blog/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360/) 2024 study of Datos clickstream data found 58.5% of US and 59.7% of EU Google searches ended with no click. [Pew](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/) found people clicked a traditional result in 8% of visits with an AI summary and 15% without. Measures differ, so quote a range. What does AEO stand for, and how is it different from SEO? AEO means answer engine optimization, which Propello calls AI Engine Optimization. SEO aims to rank pages and earn clicks. AEO aims to make your answers easy for AI engines to find, understand and quote, and it is measured by citations and mentions as well as traffic. The page work overlaps heavily. Do Google AI Overviews reduce clicks? The evidence is mixed. [Pew](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/) saw fewer clicks on traditional results when an AI summary appeared, and [Ahrefs](https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks-update/) found a 58% lower click-through rate for the top page, while [Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/blog/semrush-ai-overviews-study/) found zero-click rates did not rise. Check your own Search Console data by query type. Do I need special structured data to appear in Google's AI features? No. [Google Search Central](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features) says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add, and no new files or markup are required. A page must be indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet. Keep schema markup accurate for the search features it already supports. How do you measure AEO? Start with what the engines report. [Google's guide](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/ai-optimization-guide) points to the generative AI performance report in Search Console, and [Bing](https://blogs.bing.com/webmaster/2026/2/Introducing-AI-Performance-in-Bing-Webmaster-Tools-Public-Preview/) added an AI Performance report for citations in 2026. Add a fixed set of buyer questions you test monthly, and note what sales hears on calls. ![Tumisang Bogwasi](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/77d7e2eaad8ff71b24463dcc39a31e9e) ### Written By: Tumisang Bogwasi Tumisang is a 2X award-winning entrepreneur and CEO of Fine Media, excels in driving business growth through expert inbound marketing strategies. Outside the office, he sharpens his competitive edge on the squash courts. [mailto:tumib@finemediabw.com](mailto:tumib@finemediabw.com) ## You May Also Like ### [![Zero-Click Searches: What AI Overviews Mean for Your B2B Pipeline. Dark and slate type on a light grey ground with a large Propello mark behind it, Propello.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Awareness/Zero-Click%20Searches%20-%20What%20AI%20Overviews%20Mean%20for%20Your%20B2B%20Pipeline/zero-click-searches-ai-overviews-b2b-share-1200x630.png) *Oct 4, 2026, 9:31:02 AM | AEO & AI Search* Zero-Click Searches: What AI Overviews Mean for Your B2B Pipeline](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/zero-click-searches-ai-overviews-b2b) ### [![AI Search Ranking Factors: How AI Engines Choose the Sources They Cite. Dark and slate type on a white ground with a large Propello mark behind it, Propello.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Consideration/AI%20Search%20Ranking%20Factors%20-%20How%20AI%20Engines%20Choose%20the%20Sources%20They%20Cite/ai-search-ranking-factors-share-1200x630.png) *Oct 4, 2026, 9:31:13 AM | AEO & AI Search* AI Search Ranking Factors: How AI Engines Choose the Sources They Cite](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-ranking-factors) ### [![How to Optimize Content for AI Search So Engines Cite It. White and blue-grey type on a dark navy ground with a large Propello mark behind it, Propello.](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Consideration/How%20to%20Optimize%20Content%20for%20AI%20Search%20So%20Engines%20Cite%20It/how-to-optimize-content-for-ai-search-share-1200x630.png) *Oct 4, 2026, 9:31:23 AM | AEO & AI Search* How to Optimize Content for AI Search So Engines Cite It](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-optimize-content-for-ai-search) [Learn More](https://www.example.com) [![Fine\_Media\_logo\_Set\_HubSpot Website Logo Stacked White BG White-1](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Fine_Media_logo_Set_HubSpot%20Website%20Logo%20Stacked%20White%20BG%20White-1.svg "Fine_Media_logo_Set_HubSpot Website Logo Stacked White BG White-1")](https://www.finemediabw.com) We help you propel growth at every stage of the customer journey with inbound marketing and Hubspot. ![provider-horizontal-white](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/provider-horizontal-white.svg "provider-horizontal-white") Blogs [What is Inbound Marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/what-is-inbound-marketing) [Why work with a HubSpot Agency](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/why-work-with-hubspot-agency) [Benefits of a Website](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/the-power-of-website-design-a-cornerstone-of-brand-identity) [Ultimate Guide to Closing more Deals](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/how-to-close-more-deals-with-sales-enablement) [Why Every Business Needs Customer Success](https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/why-customer-success-is-important) Services   [Inbound Marketing](https://www.finemediabw.com/inbound-marketing) [Website Design](https://www.finemediabw.com/website-design-and-development) [Sales Enablement](https://www.finemediabw.com/sales-enablement) [Customer Success](https://www.finemediabw.com/customer-success) [HubSpot Services](https://www.finemediabw.com/hubspot-services) Quick Links   [Home](https://www.finemediabw.com/) Services [About us](https://www.finemediabw.com/about-us) [Contact](https://www.finemediabw.com/contact-us) © 2026 Fine Media (Pty) Ltd. 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[Legal Notice](https://www.finemediabw.com/user-agreement) | [Privacy Policy](https://www.finemediabw.com/privacy-policy)  ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Tumisang Bogwasi", "url" : "https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/author/tumisang-bogwasi" }, "datePublished" : "2026-10-04T14:20:05.000Z", "headline" : "AI Search Statistics 2026: What the Studies Say", "image" : [ "https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Blog/AEO/Resources/AI%20Search%20Statistics%202026/ai-search-statistics-share-1200x630.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.finemediabw.com/blog/ai-search-statistics", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.finemediabw.com/hubfs/Fine_Media_logo_Set%20copy_HubSpot_Logo_Long_Stacked.svg" }, "name" : "Fine Media" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "SparkToro's 2024 study of Datos clickstream data found 58.5% of US and 59.7% of EU Google searches ended with no click. Pew found people clicked a traditional result in 8% of visits with an AI summary and 15% without. Measures differ, so quote a range." }, "name" : "What percent of Google searches are zero click?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "AEO means answer engine optimization, which Propello calls AI Engine Optimization. SEO aims to rank pages and earn clicks. AEO aims to make your answers easy for AI engines to find, understand and quote, and it is measured by citations and mentions as well as traffic. The page work overlaps heavily." }, "name" : "What does AEO stand for, and how is it different from SEO?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The evidence is mixed. Pew saw fewer clicks on traditional results when an AI summary appeared, and Ahrefs found a 58% lower click-through rate for the top page, while Semrush found zero-click rates did not rise. Check your own Search Console data by query type." }, "name" : "Do Google AI Overviews reduce clicks?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "No. Google Search Central says there is no special schema.org structured data you need to add, and no new files or markup are required. A page must be indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet. Keep schema markup accurate for the search features it already supports." }, "name" : "Do I need special structured data to appear in Google's AI features?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Start with what the engines report. Google's guide points to the generative AI performance report in Search Console, and Bing added an AI Performance report for citations in 2026. Add a fixed set of buyer questions you test monthly, and note what sales hears on calls." }, "name" : "How do you measure AEO?" } ] } ```