Previously, Google Search was a popular way for people to search for information on the Internet. Google Search plays an extremely important role in attracting traffic to websites.
According to analytics firm Semrush, 20% of online traffic to leading websites begins with Google Search replies. For some sites, the rate is even higher. For example, 63% of visitors to Wikipedia worldwide and 58% of visitors to Tripadvisor come from search results.
However, with advances in artificial intelligence (AI), AI search engines are now replacing 10% of the access that traditional search engines have lost. Google's ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini are being used to replace Google Search and other search engines. This is happening on both mobile devices and computers.
Apple has made it easy for users to create an iPhone connection to ChatGPT via action button and utility. Google is replacing Google Assistant with Gemini on Android.
Google is trying to add some AI features to Google Search with AI Overviews appearing at the top of certain search results. Instead of answering queries by linking to websites that can answer your questions, the AI overview provides an AI-generated summary to answer your questions.
Previously, Google also launched an AI Mode feature, which answers search queries using chatbot-style conversations with few direct links. These features have reduced traffic to certain websites.
This has been clearly demonstrated. For example, Business Insider, a financial and business news website, cut staff by 21% in May 2025 citing a decline in traffic "out of control". According to Similar Web, Business Insider's traffic has decreased by 55% from April 2022 to April 2025.
Access to Schwab.com Securities Company decreased in May for the first time in two years. Even Netflix visits fell 23% last month.
Chegg, a public company, provides an app that helps students do homework. Valued at $15.1 billion in early 2021, but with reduced access, the company's value is now at just $144 million.
CEO Chegg Nathan Schultz blamed Google AI Overviews for many of his company's problems. According to him, his company will not have to consider alternatives if Google does not launch AI Overviews, retaining the previous traffic that has reached Chegg, significantly affecting their acquisitions and revenue.
