Will AI search make people click fewer links?

Probably yes for many simple informational searches, but not for every kind of query.

AI search features can reduce clicks because they often answer quick questions directly on the results page, which is part of the broader trend toward more zero-click searches. That said, the effect is uneven and depends on the query:

• Simple factual questions: likely to see the biggest drop in clicks.
• Research, comparison, and deep-dive queries: clicks may still happen, especially to trusted or in-depth sources.
• Transactional queries: users usually still need to click through to complete an action.

One important nuance is that links shown as citations inside AI-generated answers can still get clicks, and those clicks may be especially high-intent because the user has already been given a summary and is looking to verify or go deeper.

So the likely overall pattern is fewer clicks for some searches and less referral traffic for many sites, especially those that depend on short informational queries. But the size of the impact varies a lot by site type and topic, and exact traffic changes can shift over time.