Google has begun rolling out its new AI Mode search tool in the UK, offering users AI-generated answers instead of traditional lists of links.
The feature, powered by Google’s Gemini platform, is being introduced as an optional mode that presents conversational-style responses with significantly fewer click-through links.
The change marks a major shift in how information is presented to users and has sparked concern among publishers, retailers, and content-based businesses that depend on search traffic. Fewer links in AI summaries may mean fewer users visiting external sites, weakening ad revenue and visibility for those relying on Google as a traffic source.
While traditional search remains in place, early reports suggest that AI-driven responses could displace the current ecosystem. The Daily Mail claims a 50% drop in Google-driven traffic since the AI Overview feature was introduced. A Pew Research study also found that users clicked through just once every 100 searches when presented with AI summaries.
Google says it is still deciding how to monetise AI Mode and has not confirmed whether advertisers will be able to pay for inclusion in AI responses.
The tool has already launched in the US and India, with the UK rollout happening over the next few days. It is not being launched in the EU due to regulatory constraints.
Concerns also extend to sustainability, as AI tools require vast computational power, raising questions over energy and water usage as adoption scales.