Google AI Overviews Are Reshaping Search
Google search is evolving. With the introduction of AI Overviews, users get more synthesized answers directly in the search results. Common for Google synthesized answers is that it gives the full answer in the result page, preventing the user from leaving the Google platform.
AI Overview makes Google better, but has been criticized for encroaching on publisher's web site content and traffic. To better understand how this transformation develops over time the NOVA Consulting Group subsidiary media agency Rocket has conducted a long-term analysis of AI Overviews in the Norwegian market.
The AI Overview study provides one of the most datarich assessments to date of how AI-driven search affects visibility, traffic quality and commercial outcomes in Norway. The findings challenge several common assumptions about AI and search.
Stable headlines, deeper structural change
At a high level, the effect of AI Overviews seems moderate.
- Total organic clicks declined by 5 percent in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025.
- Total impressions increased by 1.9 percent.
- Overall clickthrough rate declined from 13.52 percent to 13.24 percent.
AI is taking over much of the early research phase
One of the clearest findings from the analysis is that AI Overviews affect different search intents in very different ways.
- Informational searches lose both clicks and clickthrough rate, for example “What is GDPR”.
- Commercial searches gain visibility but experience a sharp decline in clicks, for example “What are the top three best solutions for GDPR management.”
- Transactional searches see the steepest drop in clicks, for example “buy a GDPR management system.”
- Navigational searches grow in both clicks and impressions, for example “the European Commission.”
This pattern indicates that early stage discovery and comparison are increasingly handled inside AI interfaces, while branddriven demand becomes more important for driving traffic to websites.
Fewer clicks – Higher business value
The most significant insight emerges when traffic data is connected to revenue.
For a selected group of e-commerce players where Google Search Console data was linked with GA4 revenue data in Q1 2026, the analysis shows a 5.7 percent decline in organic clicks combined with a 4.5 percent increase in organic revenue.
Clicks and revenue no longer move in tandem.
Our data suggests that the traffic which actually reaches e-commerce sites is more qualified and further down the purchase funnel than before. A larger share of the early research phase is now happening inside AI interfaces
The findings suggest that AI Overviews act as a filter, reducing low-intent visits while preserving, and in some cases strengthening, commercial outcomes.
However, increased convertion rates do not even out the loss of clicks. So in total; revenue from Google is down. Increasing visibility, by doing better content strategy and more execution is an important move to make to stay ahead.
AI traffic is growing, but volumes are still limited
The study also measured direct traffic from AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot during Q1 2026.
On average, AI tools account for 0.15 percent of total sessions. The lowest measured share per company was 0.02 percent, while the highest reached 0.44 percent. Approximately 95 percent of AIoriginated traffic comes from ChatGPT.
While AI referral traffic remains miniscule, the variation between actors indicates that early strategic positioning already matters.
Websites aren’t losing relevance, the bar is simply higher
Despite widespread concern; the findings do not support the idea that websites are becoming outdated.
Many fear that their websites are becoming less important. The reality is the opposite: AI models need reliable sources. Your website matters more than ever – but it requires far greater precision.
In an AI-mediated search landscape, generic content and interchangeable product pages become increasingly vulnerable.
Differentiation matters in an AI-driven market
As AI increases transparency and reduces friction in comparison, differentiation becomes critical.
In a more transparent, AI-driven market, businesses need to invest in real differentiation, not just product feeds and automated content. Brand, guarantees and customer experience become decisive.
This places new demands on how organizations think holistically about content, brand and search strategy.
Good SEO is the key to GEO-visibility
- Visibility is no longer solely about rankings
- Authority, intent alignment and clarity become increasingly important.
- Success must be measured by business impact rather than clicks alone.
What we are seeing is not the elimination of search, but a transformation. Fundamental user needs remain the same – even if the tools change.
AI Overviews are not eliminating search. They are redefining how value flows through it.
Key takeaways for business leaders
AI Overviews reduce traffic volume, but increase relevance.
Organizations that adapt their content and search strategies can achieve more qualified traffic, stronger branddriven demand and better alignment between search visibility and revenue.
Those who continue to optimize primarily for clicks risk optimizing toward a metric
that no longer reflects real business value.
