For months, search marketers and publishers have watched Google’s AI Overviews dominate the top of search results — often leaving traditional web listings buried below a wall of generative text. But new data suggests the balance of power is shifting.
A recent study from seoClarity reveals that Google’s AI Overviews no longer always claim the #1 spot in search results. In fact, they now appear below the top-ranked organic listing in 12.4% of desktop queries.
This may seem like a small crack — but in the world of search, it’s a seismic signal. It means AI isn’t untouchable. And for the first time, we have proof: great content can still outrank generative AI.
The Numbers Google Didn’t Want You to Notice
seoClarity’s analysis — focused on U.S. desktop SERPs without ads — breaks down the new landscape:
- AI Overviews rank #1 in 87.6% of cases where they appear
- 7.6% now land in position #2
- 2.8% in position #3
- And 2% rank fourth or lower
Just weeks ago, less than 2% of AI Overviews were found outside the top slot. Now? That number has jumped sixfold — and it’s still climbing.
Why AI Overviews Are Slipping
The reason is both simple and encouraging: users are voting with their clicks.
According to seoClarity’s VP of Product Marketing, Mark Traphagen, Google seems to be using engagement data to adjust rankings. If users scroll past the AI Overview and consistently click on a lower result, the algorithm listens — and responds.
“If most people are clicking past the AI Overview to a web result, Google may demote the AI Overview for that keyword,” Traphagen explained.
It’s an early sign that Google is willing to let users guide the future of AI visibility, even as it aggressively integrates AI across search.
AI Still Dominates Informational Queries
The study found that 84.2% of queries triggering AI Overviews were informational — exactly the kind of queries where AI has traditionally excelled. Think definitions, how-tos, or summaries.
But in cases where AI Overviews fell to the fourth position or below, transactional queries made up 22.7% — nearly double their typical share.
Translation: when users are closer to making a purchase or taking action, they’re less likely to trust or engage with an AI summary — and more likely to click on product listings, brand pages, or carousels.
That’s a key insight for anyone in ecommerce, SaaS, or affiliate marketing: you can outperform AI, especially when intent is commercial.
What This Means for Your SEO Strategy
If you’re in the SEO trenches, here’s what matters:
- Strong content is still your moat: Google’s AI may grab attention, but relevance, authority, and structured data can still earn the click.
- CTR matters more than ever: Google is watching engagement. Optimize your headlines, descriptions, and page experience accordingly.
- Focus on intent: The higher the transactional value of the query, the lower the AI Overview tends to rank — that’s your entry point.
The new frontier isn’t just about ranking in search. It’s about competing with the AI at the top of the page — and winning.
You’re Not Competing With Google But Competing for Attention
AI Overviews may have reshaped the SERP, but they’re not immune to user behavior. And that’s good news for brands, publishers, and creators who’ve felt steamrolled by the rise of generative search.
Because in this new era of AI-enhanced search, the real metric that matters is still the oldest one in the book: what people choose to click.
