A poll of 1,000 US adults (conducted by Pollfish for NP Digital) in May 2025 provides new information about how people interact with Google’s AI Overviews. Despite expectations that AI summaries might reduce traffic, statistics reveal that most people continue to click through to websites. This suggests that while AI Overviews influence the search journey, they have not replaced the need for users to engage directly with original sources.
What the Data Reveals:
- Click-throughs stay strong: 81% still click links after reading AI Overviews; only 4.4% never do.
- Trust is split: 41% trust them about the same as traditional results, 31% trust more, and 28% trust less.
- Errors are noticed: 25% spotted major mistakes, with 20.6% citing outdated info and 21% irrelevant content.
- Satisfaction is mixed: 57.9% report a positive experience, but 8.5% are dissatisfied.
- Users want choice: 55% would turn off AI Overviews for some queries; 17.7% would disable them entirely.
- Topic-based shifts: TikTok leads for food (42.7%), entertainment (36.3%), and news (33.8%); Google dominates education, business, and parenting.
Why This Matters for Marketers?
Google’s AI Overviews may not be killing clicks, but they’re definitely changing the game. Users find the feature helpful for quick answers, yet many see it as intrusive, sparking a desire for more control, like an option to switch it off. Despite mixed feelings, AI Overviews continue to shape how people interact with search results and where they place their trust.
At the same time, TikTok is making quiet but steady gains, especially for lifestyle, entertainment, and even news-related queries. Younger audiences, in particular, are turning to the app not just for content but as an alternative search tool.
Google, however, still holds a strong edge in categories tied to education, business, and family needs, areas where reliability and depth remain critical. This balance highlights a shifting search landscape, one where different platforms carve out their niches based on user expectations.
For publishers and marketers, the message is clear: clicks aren’t vanishing, but competition for attention is getting sharper. Winning visibility now requires understanding not only Google’s evolving AI experience but also the pull of emerging platforms like TikTok.