In a groundbreaking discovery, two new studies have unveiled a startling truth: Google's AI Overviews might be siphoning clicks away from organic search results.

Despite Google's assurances that AI Overviews would enhance click quality, the data suggests the opposite. Both studies from SEO experts Ahrefs and Amsive reveal a significant drop in visibility and clicks, especially among top-ranking and non-branded keywords.

The Numbers Don’t Lie!

The impact on click-through rates (CTR) is dramatic. Ahrefs reports a staggering 34.5% decrease in CTR for position 1 listings when AI Overviews are present, drawn from an extensive analysis of 300,000 keywords. Meanwhile, Amsive found an average CTR decline of 15.49%, with certain cases plummeting by as much as 37.04%—especially when featured snippets are involved, based on 700,000 keywords analyzed.

The Non-Branded Keyword Crisis

AI Overviews predominantly affect non-branded queries, which have seen the most significant CTR dips. Amsive noted a 19.98% fall for these terms, while Ahrefs honed in on informational intent where nearly all instances overlapped with AI Overviews.

Lower Rankings Face Bigger Hits!

The analysis also indicates that if you’re not in the Top 3 positions, your CTR could suffer even more, showing a staggering drop of 27.04%. It’s clear: AI Overviews are pushing organic results further down, leaving even well-ranked pages with minimal visibility.

Good News for Branded Searches!

Surprisingly, the studies show that branded queries are less impacted by AI Overviews, triggering them only 4.79% of the time. However, when they do trigger, branded queries experience an 18.68% increase in CTR, possibly due to stronger user intent and familiarity with the brand.

Why This Matters to You!

The implications of these studies are huge. They challenge Google's claims about the superiority of AI Overviews when it comes to generating clicks. While Google insists that these features boost engagement, it seems that many websites that performed well in traditional search are now being left behind.

The Research Behind the Findings

Ahrefs utilized data from its own platform and Google Search Console, examining CTR changes before and after the rollout of AI Overviews in March 2025. Amsive dissected data from a diverse range of 700,000 keywords across ten websites and five industries to reveal distinct patterns based on keyword type and SERP feature overlap.

As the battle for visibility heats up, these insights are crucial for anyone relying on organic search. Stay tuned for more updates as the search landscape evolves!