Dettmann Media

Nearly 60% of online searches don’t result in a click.

The search landscape is evolving faster than ever, as shown by that statistic — and artificial intelligence is leading the charge. As AI-powered experiences reshape how users seek and interact with information, a new study from Search Engine Journal offers an early glimpse into what the future of search might look like.

Their AI Mode User Behavior Study reveals that people are no longer treating AI search as a novelty — they’re embracing it as their default starting point. From declining click-through rates to the rise of zero-click satisfaction – as noted previously – the findings highlight a dramatic shift in how users discover, evaluate, and act on information online.

For marketers, SEO specialists, and brands, this data provides a roadmap for how to stay visible in an increasingly AI-driven ecosystem.

Key Findings from the Study

• AI Mode is sticky — In about 75% of sessions, users never left the AI Mode pane, and about 88% of first interactions were with the AI-generated response. Users spend, on average, 52–77 seconds on tasks in AI Mode.
• Clicks are rare and largely transactional — The median number of external clicks per task was zero, and 77.6% of sessions had no outbound visits. Clicks occur mostly when users intend to purchase.
• AI Mode aligns site type to user intent —
  • For shopping tasks → Brand + marketplace sites are cited
  • For comparison tasks → Review sites dominate
  • For reputation queries → A mix of publishers and brands appear
• Product previews act like mini product pages — These previews show in about 25% of sessions, get an average of 9 seconds of attention, and often satisfy users without forcing a click.

Additional Insights

The role AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude play in modern search

Where AI search is headed

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Implications & Strategic Shifts

• Visibility > Traffic — In a world where users stay inside AI Mode, getting cited and surfaced there is more valuable than driving clicks.
• Refine by intent & site type — Your content should match the scenario where your site is likely to appear (e.g. product pages, review content, reputation narratives).
• Optimize for decisive exits — Since clicks happen rarely and mostly for purchases, when you do get a click, make sure price, availability, social proof, etc., are front and center.
• Evolve SEO strategy — Rather than thinking of AI-driven search as a “doorway to your site,” treat it as a destination itself.