Google says AI overview adds clicks. Cold, hard logic does not agree, and so does our research.
We analyzed 300,000 keywords and found that the existence of AI overview in the search results is A Average click-through rate (CTR) decreased by 34.5% For top-level pages, compared to similar information keywords without AI overview.
Thanks to our data scientists, xibeijia guanused to extract the data for this analysis.
“In fact, if you put content and links into an AI overview, they have a higher click rate than you would be outside of the AI overview.”
We selected 300,000 keywords from Ahrefs Keyword Explorer The database, consisting of 150,000 keywords, contains an AI overview and 150,000 keywords, has information intent and no AI overview.
We use the aggregated GSC data to obtain the average desktop click-through rate (CTR) (CTR) for each keyword (sum of clicks/impressions). We then compared the click rates for the two samples in March 2024 (before the launch of the AI overview in the United States) and March 2025 (after).
See where AI overview appears in your ranking
You can use SERP function Filters to see exactly where AI overview triggers keyword rankings. Go to Ahrefs’ Website Explorernavigate to Organic keywords Report, and select AI Overview From the SERP function filter.
In March 2024, the average position of information keywords was 0.056. In March 2025, it dropped to 0.031:
In March 2024, the average position of AI overview keywords was 0.073. In March 2025, it dropped to 0.026:
Side note.
“AI Overview Keyword” refers to the keyword that triggered the AI Overview in March 2025. In March 2024, these keywords did not trigger an AI overview before the launch of the US AI overview.
Assuming that the AI Overview is not launched, we can use Drop in the CTR for information keywords to predict the CTR of our AI Overview keywords. The predicted CTR is 0.040 (0.073*(0.031/0.056)).
Calculating the difference between predictions and actual CTRs of AI Overview keywords suggests that the presence of AI Overview can reduce the click-through rate of position 1 ~34.5% ((0.026-0.040)/0.040):
The final thought
This is not surprising. I’ve seen Anecdata suggests that some websites have seen Click reduction by 20–40% Since the launch of AI Overview.
It seems possible. The AI Overview feature is similar to featured snippets, trying to parse searchers’ queries directly in SERP, which can result in more zero-click searches. Although AI overviews often include citation links, many of these links may be cited, making any single link less likely to get a share of the click-through rate of the lion.
This also tells Google’s optimistic proposition That “The links included in the AI overview get more clicks than the page as a traditional network list for this query”there is still no way to eliminate the impression of AI overview clicks and other search console data.
It seems that Google doesn’t want us to see click-through rates outlined by AI.
Assuming the AI overview remains in this current form, this may also be Highest CTR will be. With the decline of novelty and Despicable click rules Starting, I would like to see clicks decrease further.
