Google AI Overviews Reach 43% of Searches as AI Mode Visits Hit 279 Million
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 27
Google AI Overviews Reach 43% of Searches as AI Mode Visits Hit 279 Million
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Jul 27
Summary
Google’s AI Overviews appeared in 43% of searches over the past year, up from 15%, making AI-generated answers a default part of how users get information.
Similarweb said that shift is keeping users inside Google longer, with search queries growing more conversational and AI Mode visits rising from 126 million in June 2025 to 279 million by May 2026.
Publishers are losing referral traffic as AI citations often replace clicks, even though the number of AI responses with citations has increased more than fivefold in the past year.
ChatGPT offered a partial countertrend: after a May 7 search update, the share of U.S. desktop visits landing on webpages climbed from 25% in March 2026 to nearly 60% by May 30.
The broader pattern still points to Google shifting from a gateway to outside websites toward becoming the destination itself.