Search. For years, it meant typing a few words into Google and choosing from a list of ten blue links. Every blog post, every forum, every product page stood a chance to be discovered. The web felt like an open marketplace of voices.
But in 2025, search looks different. We no longer scroll endlessly through Google results. Instead, we ask AI assistants—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini—to find the answers for us. We trust them to summarize, compare, and guide us. The result? AI search is no longer just a tool, it is the gatekeeper of traffic.
And that brings up two urgent questions:
- Where does AI-driven traffic actually go?
- Who benefits the most from this new reality?
Two major studies published recently provide some answers. Ahrefs studied which types of pages AI assistants link to. Semrush looked at which brands dominate visibility in AI search. Together, they paint a powerful picture of where the web is heading—and where you fit into it.
This isn’t just theory. For small creators, entrepreneurs, and bloggers, this shift could mean the difference between growth and invisibility. So let’s explore what these studies reveal—and how you can adapt.
1. The Shift: From Google Search to AI Search
Not long ago, search engines worked like enormous libraries. If you wanted to know “best laptops 2020,” you typed it into Google and got hundreds of results: blogs, tech sites, YouTube reviews, and e-commerce stores. You were the decision-maker.
Now, AI search has flipped the model. You ask ChatGPT, “What’s the best laptop under $1,000?” and it gives you one answer—a neatly packaged summary, maybe with one or two links. Users don’t click through dozens of pages; they trust the AI to do the work.
This feels efficient, even comforting, for the user. But for creators, it’s terrifying. Because the fight is no longer for “Google position #1.” The fight is for whether the AI even mentions you at all.
Here’s the human truth: people are overwhelmed. They don’t want ten tabs open. They want quick clarity and trust. AI search delivers that. But in delivering, it filters out 90% of the web.
So where does the remaining traffic land?
2. The Ahrefs Study: Where AI Traffic Really Goes
Ahrefs analyzed thousands of AI-generated search interactions to discover what kinds of pages actually get clicks when people use AI assistants. The findings were eye-opening.
📊 Traffic distribution in AI search (Ahrefs 2025):
- Free Tool pages – 36.45%
- Product Pages – 23.12%
- Homepages – 20.41%
- Informational Pages – 7.55%
- Hallucinated Pages – 3.60%
- Programmatic Pages – 2.89%
- Training Pages – 1.61%
- Blog Homepages – 1.51%
- Data Studies – 1.26%
- Everything else (case studies, pricing, templates, documentation, login pages) – each under 1%.
If you want to dive deeper into how Google itself hides AI search data and what you can do about it, read our full guide here: Staying Visible in a Changing Digital World
Put simply, more than 80% of AI-driven traffic flows into just three destinations:
- Free tools
- Product pages
- Homepages
Why free tools?
Because they solve a problem instantly. People don’t want to read 2,000 words about an AI background remover. They want a free AI background remover right now.
Why product pages?
Because AI assistants act like shortcut salespeople. When a user asks, “Where can I buy this?” AI sends them directly to the product page—clear, actionable, and transactional.
Why homepages?
Because when people ask about a brand (“What is Canva?”), AI takes the safe option: the homepage.
The overlooked categories
Blog posts, data studies, and training pages still get some traffic, but far less. In an AI-driven world, content that doesn’t lead to action is filtered out.
3. The Semrush Study: Who Wins AI Visibility
If Ahrefs told us where traffic goes, Semrush answered a different question: who gets mentioned most often in AI search?
The AI Visibility Index 2025 (131 pages long) analyzed how often different brands are cited by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude.
The winners? Predictably, the giants:
- Zoho
- HubSpot
- ChatGPT itself
- Wikipedia
- Forbes
- … and other established names.
In other words, AI search is biased toward authority. Big brands with strong reputations are amplified even more in this new ecosystem.
For small creators, that feels unfair. How can a new blogger or independent business compete with Forbes or Wikipedia in AI search?
But here’s the silver lining: visibility doesn’t just come from size. It comes from relevance, clarity, and utility. If your website offers a unique free tool, or your product solves a specific problem, AI can still choose you as the answer.
The Semrush study reminds us: the new search isn’t a democracy—it’s a trust game. AI assistants link to names they trust. Your job is to become trustworthy in your niche.
4. Connecting the Dots: Traffic + Visibility
Looking at Ahrefs and Semrush together gives us the full picture of AI search in 2025:
- Ahrefs: most clicks go to free tools, product pages, and homepages.
- Semrush: most mentions go to big, trusted brands.
So the reality is: you need both the right kind of page and enough brand authority for AI to notice you.
For a small creator, this sounds daunting. But let’s break it down into practical steps:
Step 1: Build something useful (Free Tool / Resource)
You don’t need to code the next ChatGPT. Even a prompt library, a simple calculator, or a set of free templates can make your site AI-friendly.
Step 2: Create clear, strong product pages
If you sell an eBook, digital planner, or coloring book, make sure your product page is optimized:
- Title + description in plain, human language.
- Clear benefits.
- Call-to-action buttons.
- Visual proof (images, examples).
Step 3: Strengthen your homepage
Your homepage is your digital handshake. It should immediately say: who you are, what you do, and what you offer.
Step 4: Build brand visibility
This is the Semrush lesson. Publish guest posts, collaborate with others, interlink between your own articles, and make sure your name appears in different contexts. The more AI “sees” your brand, the more likely it is to trust you.
Step 5: Humanize everything
AI may filter content, but humans crave human connection. Storytelling, empathy, and authenticity still matter. They might not increase clicks directly, but they keep readers once they land on your page.
5. The Future of AI Search and SEO
Where does this all lead?
We’re moving into a hybrid era. People still use Google for deep research, but rely on AI search for quick answers. The danger is that AI might increasingly “swallow” the web—summarizing content without sending traffic at all.
But there’s also opportunity:
- If you align with the three traffic magnets (tools, products, homepages), you increase your odds of being recommended.
- If you build authority in your niche, you can punch above your weight—even against giants.
Yes, Semrush shows that Forbes and Wikipedia dominate. But history shows the web always has room for specialists. A niche site that solves one problem better than anyone else can still thrive.
Conclusion
Two studies. Two angles. One clear message.
- Ahrefs showed us where the traffic from AI search goes: free tools, product pages, homepages.
- Semrush showed us who dominates visibility: the big, trusted brands.
Together, they tell us that the age of random blog clicks is over. AI search doesn’t spread traffic evenly—it funnels it selectively.
But here’s the human truth: this isn’t the end of opportunity. It’s the beginning of a new kind. If you’re a small creator, you can still win by being useful, clear, and visible. Create a free resource. Optimize your product pages. Make your homepage unforgettable. And slowly, build a brand that AI can’t ignore.
Because at the end of the day, AI may decide where traffic flows, but humans decide where they stay.
Understanding how to track AI search performance is one side of the puzzle. The other side is knowing where AI traffic flows and which brands win visibility. For that, you can read this detailed analysis: Staying Visible in a Changing Digital World
You can also read: 10 Books That Will Change Your Life Forever
