According to the latest Similarweb report, AI search is rapidly changing traditional search patterns. The percentage of Google's AI Overviews in search results has increased from 15% a year ago to 43%. AI-driven information acquisition is gradually becoming the default search experience for users.

The report states that Google's AI Overviews initially served as an auxiliary feature on top of traditional search results, but have now become an essential part of the search process. After receiving AI-generated answers, users can continue to explore through Google's more conversational AI mode, and search behavior is shifting from "finding web pages" to "getting answers directly."

Data shows that traffic to Google's AI mode has continued to grow, rising from 126 million visits in June 2025 to 279 million visits in May 2026. At the same time, user search methods are also changing, with more users adopting longer and more natural conversational queries instead of short keyword-based searches.

This shift is affecting the distribution of internet traffic. Traditional publishers and content websites are facing issues with reduced clicks due to AI summaries, as users may get answers directly on the search page without visiting the original webpage. Similarweb data shows that the number of search responses containing AI references has grown more than fivefold over the past year, but AI references do not necessarily lead to corresponding traffic.

As of May 2026, only 6.8% of desktop search queries on ChatGPT in the United States included reference links. However, there are differences between industries, with sectors such as travel, retail, and sports being more likely to receive AI search references.

For content creators, AI search also brings some positive changes. Similarweb data shows that after ChatGPT updated its search function on May 7, the website referral traffic from ChatGPT on desktop devices improved significantly. By the end of May 2026, the proportion of website visits had risen from 25% to nearly 60%.

In summary, AI search is driving structural changes in internet access. Google is transitioning from a traditional "web navigation tool" to an "information consumption platform." In the future, websites and content organizations need to adapt to AI-driven information distribution, optimize content structure and AI visibility, to seize new traffic opportunities.